Belric and Dacey

[Vex]

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23rd day, 2nd moon

After speaking with Violet, Dacey arrived at Belric's solar for a chat.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"Good to see you, sister." Belric said as Dacey walked into his solar.

[Vex]

"And you, brother," said Dacey, and gave the room a brief once-over, having not been here yet. "I spoke to Violet," she said. "She says you mean for her and Jon to tour the Riverlands and send me with them?" she asked.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"That had been my intention." Said Belric, looking rather disgruntled. "However, that had been before I received Lord Tully's raven. Things have changed, and we must rethink our strategy."

[Vex]

Dacey wasn't sure this former plan could have been called a strategy and was quite glad it had tanked. She nodded and waited him to elaborate.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric was about to return to his work when he noticed Dacey had not left. "Anything else?" He asked.

[Vex]

"No," she said, having expected him to share the aforementioned strategy with her, much like he had during the war. But he was a lord now, so perhaps that had changed.

"I came here to recommend you to invite your vassals and other riverlords here rather than send Violet and Jon to them," she explained. "But since that's not happening... What'd Tully want?" she wondered.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric gave Dacey a look of surprise, her sudden interest in politics catching him off guard. "Tully wants me to bend the knee. And that's exactly what I'm going to do."  It was apparent that Belric was stressed, the weight of it appearing in the bags under his eyes.

[Vex]

"Of course," she said, having expected no less. It was, after all, his duty. She studied him for a while and walked over to take a seat next to him. "Which is not to say bowing down to this man will be easy for any of us. Do you want me to go with you?" she asked, preferring not to, but not letting it show as she deemed Belric's wishes more important in this case.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric snickered at how easily his sister could write off his duties. "No, I think you should remain here incase Edmure has need of you. It would be wise to save Lord Tully his fingers." Belric gave her a wiry smile, finding himself rather amusing.

[Vex]

Dacey fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I haven't cut off anyone's fingers. But I guess it's still early in the day," she commented dryly, though looked to him with a brief smirk. "In any case, if there's something I can do for you or this castle, you need only name it," she said, quite seriously now.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"I fear for your future husband," Belric said comically. "As for your help, I have no tasks to simply hand out. If there is a secret to ruling, I do not know it. However, if there is something you can think of to improve this castle, I would hear it now."

[Vex]

"You needn't," she said rather offhandedly, but didn't comment on this further. "I know next to nothing about big castles," she said. "But Symon and I have taken up the task of training the children of Harrentown in arms and archery. After everything that's happened here, I thought it might help them. Us, too, when it comes to it."

She thought a while. "If I come up with more, you'll be the first to hear," she said.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"That is wise, sister. If for nothing else than teaching our people how to hunt and forage for themselves." Belric was happy to see Dacey taking the initiative. "Do what you can to try and teach them survival skills while you are at it. These youth might become very useful in the future."

[Vex]

"That is the plan," she said, and rose, placing a hand on his shoulder for a moment. "As for you, you'll figure everything out as you always have."

She dropped her hand and turned to leave, knowing he was a busy, busy man now. "I'll let you return to your duties."