Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
Posts - 938
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Vex on Jun 10, 2016 22:59:53 GMT
Dacey had been circling the sept to make sure no one was hiding in its shadowy alcoves. She stopped somewhere between the statues of the Stranger and the Crone to keep an eye on her siblings. There was really no reason for Violet to cower that near to Edmure, she thought. The probability of being pushed headfirst into the fray seemed to spike drastically around him.
She did a double take at Belric's disturbing words, briefly wondering whether she'd heard them correctly.
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The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
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Joined - December 2015
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 10, 2016 23:09:37 GMT
(Failed. Belric loses a Disposition Level with Ser Simon. Disposition to Saesha and House Blackfort remains the same.)
"Harrenhal is one keep above others, where only a fool dares insult the dead, especially the murdered. Let us not pretend any of the lords, especially those in the Riverlands, chose Daemon or Daeron based on loyalty or love. They chose based on what they thought best for their houses. Lady Danelle did the same, but as the momentum on a battlefield shifts, so did what was best for House Lothson," he replied, narrowing his wrinkled eyes at Lord Belric, piercing blue and cold like an icicle. "I have served Harrenhal longer than any man alive. I will continue to do so until the Stranger takes me. Let the hedge knights and septons worry about right and wrong. For a sworn sword, there is only obedience."
"I was," he answered the charges without flinching. "I followed my orders."
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Taero of Myr
Peasant
Idiot #5
Posts - 101
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Taero of Myr on Jun 10, 2016 23:12:06 GMT
Symon is there for the parley, he looks around at the weirwood beams making the sept and inwardly weeps that so many sacred trees had to be chopped down for some sept.
At the mention of eating children Symon shuffles his feet uncomfortably, he turns to his brother Jormun and mutters under his breath "I'm starting to miss the war."
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The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
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Joined - December 2015
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 10, 2016 23:14:17 GMT
Dacey had been circling the sept to make sure no one was hiding in its shadowy alcoves. She stopped somewhere between the statues of the Stranger and the Crone to keep an eye on her siblings. There was really no reason for Violet to cower that near to Edmure, she thought. The probability of being pushed headfirst into the fray seemed to spike drastically around him. She did a double take at Belric's disturbing words, briefly wondering whether she'd heard them correctly. Noting the woman he had earlier told to "sod off", Ser Vincent turned bright red under his gothic plate, thankful for the black helm, though it did little to hide his widening eyes. He shuffled over a bit, trying to make sure Ser Harrys and Ser Bruce were obscuring her vision of him, lest she somehow recognize him.
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Barley
High Lord
Posts - 809
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Barley on Jun 10, 2016 23:21:08 GMT
"Sers. What would it take for the both of you to reconcile?" Saesha asked, looking between the two of them.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jun 10, 2016 23:23:29 GMT
Violet stared at Ser Simon in repulsion. She wanted nothing to do with such a man. Harrenhal appeared to be just as cursed as the legends said. She hoped Belric killed the knight and his followers. Not that she wanted to witness an execution, of course, but she would rest more easily if such men were dead. The inn and its unwelcoming mistress began to feel more desirable with every moment Violet spent in Harrenhal.
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Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Jun 10, 2016 23:24:34 GMT
"I see," Belric said with a frown. He walked over to Sashea, remaining silent while she spoke. In truth, Belric thought there was little chance of reconciliation, but was interested to see where she was going.
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Post by Ser Willis Blackfort on Jun 10, 2016 23:40:52 GMT
Willis's lip curled at the old knight's admission, and one hand moved to rest on his axe, tucked in his belt. He made no pretensions to being a particularly good knight, but the oath he'd taken still held some weight, and he'd never violated that particular charge. "In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the young and innocent." He muttered under his breath.
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Boros
Knight
Jon
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Boros on Jun 10, 2016 23:41:53 GMT
Hoster shifted his feet uneasily. Abducting children? No problem with that. Killing children? Just give me the coin. Torturing? Might be a little more expensive. But cannibalism... Eeeeeh, that was a little too much even for him. Being as superstitious as he was, this only seemed to confirm his feeling that Harrenhal was inhabited by demons. His hand closed tightly around the hilt of his sword, his eyes did not leave Ser Simon.
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The Gambler
Administrator
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Joined - December 2015
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 10, 2016 23:54:17 GMT
"None," Ser Bruce answered first, with conviction. "I will not serve beside a monster. My honor as a knight will not accept such a stain."
"You honor as a knight?" Ser Simon asked, derisively. "You stupid boy! You betrayed your oath as a knight in the same instant you betrayed your oath to your liege!" The old man was seething now, the hands of both knuckles white as they gripped the hilts of his twin swords.
Ser Bruce looked confused and then indignant, opening his mouth to retort the words of the kin he had squired under. Ser Simon spoke again before he could voice his objections.
"Maester Edgar informed Lady Danelle that she was barren, that the Lothson line would end with her. That was what begot all of this. Can you imagine the rage, imagine the fear, imagine the desperation of being informed you are to herald the end of your line only a few days after finding out of your father's death? She ordered the death of the old fool and I carried it out, because those were my orders, because I had just learned that the house I had devoted my life to, promised to protect with my dying breath, would fade from history. Everything that was done after was not done for youth or beauty or power, but for family, for Harrenhal."
"That was when Bloodraven came to us. How he found out, I will never know, because of the three of us that knew; one was myself, one was my Lady, and one I hug from a tree by his own chain. It was at that point that Brynden offered a sliver of hope in Lady Danelle's darkest hour. Where a maester's medicine had failed, he promised sorcery could succeed. All he asked in return for this knowledge was for our support of House Targaryen in the civil war. It seemed a small price to pay to survive. What would you not do for your family, Lord Belric? What line would you not cross if the alternative was their extinction? Danelle made a pact with the devil and I stood by her side, as I had sworn. An oath is not just for fair weather. Sometimes it must weather a storm."
"And so he showed Lady Danelle how to mend her womb, how to coax life from it. All she needed to do was bathe in the blood of children every full moon. So I took the children from Harrentown, by hook or by crook, followed my orders, upheld my oath. Do the smallfolk not give their lives for nobles every day as it is? How many peasants died at Redgrass Field? Hundred? Thousands? How many children died in the war from raids, starvation, or simply being orphaned? What were a dozen if it ensured the survival of a noble house? The war had no end in sight, so at the time I reasoned it was a kinder fate, a quicker fate."
There was a long pause, before the old knight burst into laughter, hideous mirthless laughter. "And it worked!" he kept laughing, at as if it were the greatest cruelest joke of all and only he knew the punchline, before crossing the distance between himself and Bruce, gripping his nephew's cloak and pulling him close. His cold eyes were brimming with tears now. He was screaming. "She was pregnant! She was with child when your traitorous blade cut her down and the future of House Lothson in one fell stroke! With my child! So what is your oath as a knight worth now, boy? What is your honor worth? Did you not take an oath to protect women before these very gods? Did you not take an oath to protect the innocent in their holy name? Who is the monster here? You cut down a babe in his mother's womb, your own cousin! As kinslayers are cursed above all other sinners, if I am to burn in the Seven Hells for my crimes, surely there is a place reserved for you beside me!"
Ser Bruce had understandably gone very pale, color drained from his face, opening his mouth to speak and unable to, just gaping in silent horror.
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Boros
Knight
Jon
Posts - 456
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Boros on Jun 11, 2016 0:01:34 GMT
"Just gut da bastard..." Hoster muttered under his breath. He was not used to sudden outtakes of honor, but him being sober mixed with this story made him want to go stab the man himself.
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Barley
High Lord
Posts - 809
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Joined - May 2016
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Post by Barley on Jun 11, 2016 0:10:35 GMT
Her brother had died four years ago... That means children had been going missing for four years, that means 48 moons... And enough children to bathe in... Got only knew, it was disgusting. She did not agree that that was the price.
Not to mention all of the other points, such as how he took so much measure by keeping ones oath, but followed a woman who broke hers. She doubted he'd get much sympathy from her or Belric when betraying Daemon had been a small price. None of it held up to her.
She looked to the captains that accompanied Ser Simon, "and you agree with this?"
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Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Jun 11, 2016 0:16:03 GMT
Belric was quick to react, moving to protect Ser Bruce, incase his uncle's intentions were lethal. Belric swung his gauntleted fist at Ser Simon's head, attempting to level the knight flat on his ass. He cared little for what brain damage he may potentially cause.
(Unarmed: 20)
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The Gambler
Administrator
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Post by The Gambler on Jun 11, 2016 0:18:48 GMT
The three knights turned to Saesha, in eerily perfect unison, Ser Simon clearly a peerless drillmaster, especially compared to the notably more lax attitudes of Ser Bruce's men.
"We're Knights of the Wailing Tower, milady," the leader of the group, Ser Christopher, the one who had escorted her to Wailing Tower in the first place. He said it as if that were answer enough, as if it was that simple. It would likely occur to Saesha that there was no way Simon could have forcibly taken all those children by himself. "Loyal men."
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Post by Sigfry Deddings on Jun 11, 2016 0:21:14 GMT
Yoren was shaking his head at the sight of both knights, and the growing and unfolding tragedy and horror that was the Whent family. The look of horror and repulsion was evident on his face, as he went over towards Belric to talk to his friend.
That was when ser simon grabbed ser bruce, and belric broke up the scene. As soon as he did it, and it became evident the situation they were in, Yoren drew his hammer and looked to Saesha, hearing the knights response as he made his way towards Belric.
"This atrocity cannot stand. This vile use of magic, and the children it cost, and at the hands of bloodraven no less...Belric, we can't let this go unpunished!" Yoren burst out, not being able to hold himself back any longer.
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