|
Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Oct 3, 2016 17:57:13 GMT
Belric stood there, hand resting on the pommel of his sword, looking like a right idiot out of his element. He was utterly useless in nearly everything except soldiery. In fact, he was so unaware of his surroundings, Belric had missed his sisters fit entirely.
"Has diplomacy made you rusty?" He asked with a smirk.
|
|
The Raven
Administrator
Posts - 1,119
Likes - 230
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Raven on Oct 5, 2016 1:38:46 GMT
Jormun's bolt strikes a nearby tree. Having missed class on that day the archmaesters were teaching ballistics at the Citadel, the animal starts carefully stalking the area.
(Success. Two points to Bucky McStaggery for Survival. (Not his actual name. Bucks don't even have names. Why would even you think that?!))
The stag's ears twitch at Belric's words and suddenly he is charging at his legal owner. The Lord recalls one of dead Petyr Baratheon's charges during the war, with shields and lances bearing down on friends and comrades. The painted antlers were likewise covered in blood.
His sister's reflexes are superb though, and the arrow strikes it in the jugular. For a brief instant, it is kneeling before Belric before it flops on its side trying to remove the arrow like it were a blow fly. It's hooves trample air while it bleeds out on the ground. It is dying and refuses to admit it.
(One point to Dacey.)
|
|
|
Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Oct 5, 2016 5:18:30 GMT
Belric's heart skipped a beat as he braced for impact. When Dacey's arrow struck true, Belric thanked whatever gods were listening. He would never admit it of course.
Watching the beautiful stag struggle as it bled in the dirt brought back a flood of memories for Belric. He drew his sword to finish the order he himself had given. He puts a boot to the side of the beats head, forcing its antlers into the ground. Swiftly he stabbed the beast, aiming to put it down for good.
"Giving you that bow was the best decision I've made." He said triumphantly to his sister.
|
|
Jormun Rivers
Guardsman
He's probably with Dacey.
Posts - 303
Likes - 126
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Jormun Rivers on Oct 5, 2016 6:13:34 GMT
Jormun grins at Belric as the stag gives it's final struggles. "I told you, Dacey is the one of the best hunters that we have, and by far the best archer. I haven't seen her miss yet. I fear she's after my own title, and there's naught I can do to stop her." He raises his hands in mock-surrender to his sister, winking at her.
|
|
Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
Likes - 241
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Vex on Oct 5, 2016 17:48:02 GMT
"Don't worry. If I wanted your title, I'd have it already," she told Jormun with the ghost of a smile. Her joke was half-hearted at best; the image of Bloodraven was still fresh in her mind.
She caught a glimpse of Aelison's back and the retreating hounds in the distance. What was it with their kennelmasters and randomly leaving? Perhaps this was for the best; alone in the woods with the only two people she wanted to know about this. "I need to tell you something," she said, turning to her brothers. "And I'd rather this stayed between us. Around the time you left, Belric, I had this odd dream. Except it wasn't really a dream, more like a memory. The Old Gods..." she trailed off, briefly looking at the blood trickling down the dead buck. "They showed me how our father died. Alone, in the mud. He was hunted down by the Piper knights and he yielded... but the young Lord Smallwood had him killed anyway. Said he wasn't worth his time."
|
|
Jormun Rivers
Guardsman
He's probably with Dacey.
Posts - 303
Likes - 126
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Jormun Rivers on Oct 5, 2016 20:42:25 GMT
Jormun frowned at Belric as she spoke, looking over to Dacey afterwards. "Is that why you collapsed? Harrenhal is playing strange games with us, and this is not the most unusual one that I have heard."
|
|
Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
Likes - 241
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Vex on Oct 5, 2016 22:03:48 GMT
"This was something else," she said, trying to shrug this recent vision off as she didn't consider it as important as the one about their father, though it was alarming that she'd passed out this time. "This place has strange power," she agreed. Both Jormun and Belric must've known she'd never been a particularly superstitious person. "I never had dreams like that before coming here. Then again, I'd never seen a real heart tree, either," she added, as if this might have explained it.
|
|
|
Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Oct 5, 2016 22:38:13 GMT
Belric nodded to Dacey when she mentioned a confession, not expecting her to relay something so abstract. The hunting trip was growing far more emotional than expected.
He felt a pain in his gut, like the force of a war hammer, at the mention of their father's death. Belric had been there that day, having spotted the Knight of the Black Gate's body amongst the collected dead. The last face his father wore was a lasting memory forever at the back of his mind. To solidify the Piper name to his anger made Belric's blood boil. He had to remind himself how crazy his sister sounded... sometimes he could only see red.
"The old gods?" Belric asked Dacey, not withholding skepticism. "You believe this vision?"
"Not you too." He said to Jormun, pleading more than anything else. "You can't believe the stories. Harrenhal is just wood and stone. Who else is telling ghost stories?"
|
|
Jormun Rivers
Guardsman
He's probably with Dacey.
Posts - 303
Likes - 126
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Jormun Rivers on Oct 6, 2016 4:56:29 GMT
Jormun's attention is focused on Happy as he scratches the psychopathic falcon under it's chin. "The castle is wood and stone, but there is no denying there is magic in these lands, left over from the Valyrians and carried by their dragons. The poor bastards that died to that fire are restless. Happy was named properly before we arrived here; calm as could be and obedient. Now he's already killed one of our hounds without command. Others are finding secret rooms where people have walked by hundreds of times, and some are having visions. I believe that Harrenhal is just a castle, but I also believe that something is not right with it."
|
|
Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
Likes - 241
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Vex on Oct 6, 2016 7:29:34 GMT
"I don't know," she told Belric, honest. "They feel real, but go against reason. I do recall something similar mentioned in father's book about the Old Gods," she said, referring to the only book she'd ever read, though found it likely neither of them had. "Then there's the ravens... Do you remember, from our first hunt?" she asked Jormun.
|
|
Jormun Rivers
Guardsman
He's probably with Dacey.
Posts - 303
Likes - 126
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Jormun Rivers on Oct 6, 2016 15:08:56 GMT
Jormun nods to Dacey, frowning at both of them. "I thought that might have been because of Happy, but those ravens.. I hope that we are all just insane, because if I am wrong, we need to forfeit this keep and go back to farming before it kills us."
|
|
|
Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Oct 6, 2016 15:44:50 GMT
"Harren's ghost could tell me to abandon these lands and I would stll persist. Raven's and visions be damned, this is my home." Belric spat. "I have never believed the tales of dark magic. Not about Bloodraven, not about Lady Lothson, and I refuse to start now."
Belric was noticibly frustrated, a common occurrence when he tried to understand things beyond his comprehension. He wrangled with the ideas of ghosts and curses for only a moment before his pride got the better of him. "Is there anything from these visions we can prove? A detail we can use as a reference to gauge if you are truly seeing the past or not? Smallwood obviously won't be admiting to the murder of a surrendered knight."
|
|
Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
Likes - 241
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Vex on Oct 9, 2016 9:06:49 GMT
"I don't know," said Dacey, thinking back to the dream. "Smallwood might not admit it, but his face might betray the answer when we confront him about it. Another dream had a lady mourn our father. He'd been her lover. I think it was Lord Roote's sister," she mused. "Perhaps start there?"
|
|
|
Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Oct 11, 2016 22:08:51 GMT
"Smallwood," he spit, "I'd sooner question his honor than that of Lucamore's sister." Belric had served with his father atop the Black Gate. He had always assumed he knew Bruce better than anyone. Yet, he had never suspected that there was any relationship between him and Lady Roote. Had he been that oblivious?
"It is best if we keep these visions between us." He looked around for confirmation.
|
|
Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
Likes - 241
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Vex on Oct 11, 2016 22:39:48 GMT
Dacey nodded her agreement, seeing as it was literally what she'd requested of them right before she'd told them about her visions.
"As I said, I'd rather no one else knew," she said again to make extra sure Belric would get the gist. "But I think we need to look into that Smallwood situation."
|
|