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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 19:13:23 GMT
The Great Hall of the Red Keep
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 19:15:27 GMT
Remembering her promise to Saesha, Violet entered the great hall shortly before she expected a meal to be served, in the hopes that Lord Butterwell would show up. She had not been able to think of a valid reason to visit him at his office and hoped that he would come down for dinner instead. After all, he looked liked the kind of man who enjoyed his food.
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 19:32:31 GMT
The gargantuan man, as expected, never missed a meal, lumbering down from his office to enjoy the fine cuisine at the king's table. He had brought a few ledgers tucked beneath his arm, almost swallowed up by the folds of fat and took a seat to work as he gorged himself.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 19:35:41 GMT
Steeling herself, Violet approached and contrived to bump into his seat by "accident" as she pretended to go past him.
"Oh, my lord. I am so sorry for disturbing you," she said. "I hope I have not caused wine to spill upon your books?"
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 19:38:23 GMT
"Careful, wench!" Lord Ambrose barked, looking up in annoyance, having assumed it was a serving maid rather than a noblewoman that had bumped him. Then again, judging by her simpler apparel, it was still hard to tell. "Thankfully, they remain unsullied."
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 19:55:48 GMT
"i'm glad to hear it. May I pass you any of the dishes?" She waved a hand at the dishes that were out of his reach if he remained seated. "The lemon fish looks rather nice."
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 19:58:58 GMT
He nodded, with a grunt of approval, mouth already full of buttered parsnips and roast boar. He had clearly still not realized she wasn't part of the serving staff.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 20:04:50 GMT
Valeria reached for the plate of fish in lemon sauce, then, as an afterthought, also grabbed the glazed carrots. She offered some of both to Butterwell before adding dainty portions to an empty plate.
"My name is Violet. The food here is magnificent, isn't it? Would you like me to pour you wine? Or ale?" She was doing her best to be solicitous before she said anything more relevant.
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 20:16:04 GMT
The name gave him no pause. If he had a gold dragon for every commoner named after a flower, the Crown would not be in debt.
"Ale," he said, not looking up from his tallies and figures as he speared a piece of fish with his fork and brought it to his mouth.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 20:23:35 GMT
She poured the ale with a steady hand before passing it to him. Sitting in an empty seat next to him, she poured herself wine.
"i hope you don't mind me joining you here, my lord. Only, I hardly know anyone here and young women like myself are easy prey for a certain kind of man, and there are some who still think my family is little better than commoners, despite my brother's marriage and our recent elevation. I hope I might beg your protection while I dine. Nobody would dare trouble your dinner companion."
Charm 86
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 20:50:40 GMT
He looked at her again with new eyes, clearly understanding who she was now. He needed to stop making a habit of confusing Blackfort women for serving wenches, but that was hardly his fault in this case.
"Of course, my dear, I could not deny shelter of the blood of my liege lord," he replied, heavy cheeks lifting as he smiled at the obvious flattery, clearly shocked that not all Blackforts were not like the vicious beast who had attacked him. "Violet, was it? A beautiful name."
(Success. House Blackfort gains 1 Disposition Level with Butterwell)
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 20:54:56 GMT
"You are very kind, my lord. My mother named me for her favourite flower," she confided. "I knew I could count upon you. All the realm knows you are a staunch friend to King Daemon, and I know you will be a good friend to House Blackfort as well. I think we will need good friends who know the business of lordship. My brother Belric was trained for war, not for ruling a castle. I know he would benefit from your counsel."
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 21:05:57 GMT
He tried very hard not to roll his eyes at the stunning revelation she had been named for the flower, though it would have been hard to tell as his beady eyes were almost enveloped by the folds of his fat face.
"As I already informed Lady Saesha, my counsel in financial matters is reserved for His Grace, as befits my position as Master of Coin," he said, though with sllightly less finality than he had to the great bastard. "All the realm knows me as a great turncoat, but we each served His Grace in our own manner." He had wrapped a heavy bandage around his hand, concealing the "wound" Dacey inflicted.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 5, 2016 21:18:03 GMT
She smiled innocently at him. "Oh, but I was not suggesting you ought to offer Belric financial counsel, far from it. I know that you have matters of state to worry about. I would not dream of asking you to put Harrenhal's needs before the real, not at all I merely thought that..." She sighed. "It makes no matter. I don't wish to ruin your dinner by talking of mundane matters. I simply wanted to offer my friendship to one of the great men of the realm."
She nibbled delicately on a mouthful of fish then washed it down with a sip of wine.
"My family is new to courtly matters, all of us. But I am doing my best to learn."
Charm 86.
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 5, 2016 21:27:40 GMT
(You rolled a 1. Critical Failure. House Blackfort loses 1 Disposition Level with Lord Ambrose. Violet loses 2)
Violet was well on her way to buttering up the lord when she overreached for her wine, dumping the contents all over Butterwell and his priceless ledgers.
He swore vehemently and stood up from the table faster than she had thought a man of his size could and began desperately dabbing at the financial documents with his own sleeve, smearing ink and wine on the expensive vellum.
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