Mallister Guest Quarters

[The Gambler]

Where the Mallisters stay in Kingspyre Tower during the tourney at Harrenhal.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

3rd day of the 5th moon

Belric visits the quarters of Lord Joseth Mallister, doing his lordly intorductoins, hoping to get to know the man more personally.

[The Gambler]

"Lord Blackfort, allow me see if Lord Joseth is accepting visito-" the guardsman at the door to the Mallister quarters began, before cut off by a shout within. "Sevens sake, Pate, I'm not going to make the bloody Ravensbane wait to get in a room in his own damn keep. Let him in already and pour us a drink while you're at it."

The abashed guard stepped aside and opened the door, heading off to fetch two glasses of mead.

"Lord Belric, I've been waiting to make your acquaintance properly for some time," Mallister said by way of greeting, offering his hand. "I had meant to at your wedding feast, but I doubted you wanted the distraction from your fetching bride and I had an Ironborn to drink under the table."

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric shook Joseth's hand after entering the room, "A bout with an Iornborn is no laughing matter. As long as you won, you'll hear no gripe from me." Belric laughed, clapping Joseth on the shoulder before releasing him. "Though I shared your sentiments Lord Joseth, and wanted to come speak with you now, before we all dress up and play war."

[The Gambler]

"Any battle you walk away from is a victory," Joseth laughed, honestly not remembering who had triumphed. Most of the night had been a blur. "As for playing at war, for most lords it is the best thing they have to prepare for the real thing. Not everyone can be fortunate as I am to have to fend Ironborn off their shore every time they get antsy on their isles.."

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric nodded his head, trying to decided wether he agreed or not. The things he usually won from a heavy night of drinking included a sore jaw and an itchy crotch. "Do not misconstrue my cynicism for such things as distaste. In fact, I am quite excited to compete in the games myself. Though, the idea of constantly warring with my neighbor is something I have lost sleep over. Has Daemon's rule not diminished the Ironborn's ambition?"

[The Gambler]

"Good, I expect to be impressed when I see the Ravensbane take the field. It would be a shame if you did not live up to the legend," he remarked, drinking his mead with a satisfied sigh. "If that idea troubles your sleep, you are in the wrong land. The Riverlands have known more infighting between its lords than any other kingdom."

"You speak of the Ironborn as if the brigands are of one mind. As they are wont to say, every captain is king aboard his own ship. To tell the truth, I would die of boredom if they ever stopped testing our shores."

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"I will hold my own," Belric assured him, welcoming a drink himself.

"Perhaps the Riverlands has always been in such unrest because it lacks purpose. You said it yourself, what would a man be without opposition to drive him? The Riverlands is like you, if you had no Ironborn to sharpen your wits. For generations Lords have turned to their closest neighbors as enemies, simply because there is nothing better."

[The Gambler]

"You may be onto something there, Belric. Can I call you Belric?" Joseth inquired, though his tone indicated he would likely do so either way. "The threat of Dorne keeps the Stormlands and Reach unified. The dangers of Wildling incursions keeps the North from infighting. The Vale has their Mountain Clans."

"The problem is we lack a common foe. That, and the Brackens hate the Blackwoods more than any Northman has hated a Wildling. Centuries, sometimes millenia of conflict, are not forgotten easily."

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"If I am being honest, I'm not sure I will ever be used to 'Lord Belric.' So please, let us speak without titles."

He thought on Joseth's words for a moment, never wanting to be the one who pretends they have the answers. "We live in strange times. Bastards can be kings and lowborn knights can be given castles. If there was ever a time to smother the conflict that has plagued these lands, it is now. Even if houses Blackwood and Bracken are the last to follow suit, converting for nothing more than self preservation, so be it. We have to try."

Belric motioned to a chair, and though it was his castle he asked permission to be seated in his guests company. "I did not come to you with all the answers. If it is as easy as pointing a finger and picking an enemy then let us cross the Narrow Sea and be done with it. However, we all have to ask ourselves what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. War is only temporary."

[The Gambler]

"Blackwood and Bracken are far from the only bloodfeud, just the oldest," Mallister replied. "I gutted my fair share of Freys during the war and to my dying day I'll contend the realm is a better place for it."

Joseth informally kicked the chair out for Belric in answer, giving him a look that indicated if they were informal enough to drop the titles, he certainly wasn't going to give him permission to sit.

"Jest or not, I could get behind a bit of fun in Essos. I hear the women alone are worth the voyage and I've never heard a man die in a foreign tongue," he said, almost wistfully, drinking deep from his mead at the thought. "If you knew my daughter, you'd know she is legacy enough for me to die a content man. Siring her makes up for the countless poor sods I've put in the dirt. Far as I'm concerned, I'm square when I meet my makers."

"Now, here I thought you had some sense Belric," he added, shaking his head. "War is eternal, the natural state of things. It's peace that's temporary." 

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

"War and peace are like the tide. What I'm taking about is far more tangible..." He finished his cup with a grin, "...and shiny."

He took a seat, indicating for servant to bring him a re-fill. "I have not met your daughter, but I know of her. Something tells me she would be fast friends with my sister, Dacey. Or, they would kill each other. You never can tell with women." He would have laughed, but the statement held too much truth. "I would be lying if I said I felt the same way about my legacy. I have never been far from death, but perhaps I can stay hidden a while longer."

"In the meantime however, a trip to Essos seems like a fine way to keep myself busy. It will still be some time before I am ready to make the journey, but it does not seem like winter will break anytime soon. We should use these next few months to convince Tully and the other lords to join us."

[The Gambler]

"I'm already listening Blackfort, speak plain," Mallister replied tersely, clearly having no patience for the games many of the other high lords played at.

"You would have to convince His Grace, not the fish," Joseth replied, looking at Belric curiously. "Without a declaration of war from him, unwarranted military action on foreign would be treason." He sounded almost forlorn at that fact, as if he wished he had been born a travelling sellsword untroubled by borders rather than a lord.

[Lord Belric Blackfort]

Belric was slightly confused by Joseth's insistence that he speak plainly, having figured he was doing just that. "I would not assume the King's opinion in regards to starting another war. Though, I imagine he will see the merit in doing so if the argument is presented properly." Belric had a feeling Daemon would be looking to fatten his treasury now that he had control of the throne. "What better way to unite a kingdom than to force them to fight alongside one another?"

He rubbed at his chin, looking perplexed. "I will talk with Lady Blackfort, she may be able to lend some wisdom to how we should approach Daemon."

[The Gambler]

"We may be eager and ready for the next war, but I promise you that is not a sentiment shared by most of the realm," Joseth drained the remainder of his mead. "Too much to rebuild at home for most to run off gallivanting across the world."