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Post by perry on Jun 10, 2020 16:58:34 GMT -5
As they pass through the brush they hear rustling nearby, but only too late. Four men form up behind them, blocking their way back, two pointing bows at the travelers. Three more strolled out on the path set before them, in the middle a Northmen, with a thick chestnut beard and long locks past his shoulders. He had once been a member of Eddard's household guard, and in a way.. he still was. The pair could hear more, hiding just beyond the tree line. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Harwin questioned, a smile playing across his face. "Get off the horses lovebirds, nice and easy, we've got a very important meeting to get to."
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LD
Veteran 
Posts: 35
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Post by LD on Jun 10, 2020 19:51:29 GMT -5
At first, Brienne hesitated, telling herself that it wasn't righteous either to lead a crippled man into a slaughter - yet she did as she got commanded, solely giving Jaime a look of hopeing that he would follow their orders as well. Her hand rested briefly on Oathkeeper, when she got down. It was clearly suicide, if they tried to resist this welcoming party, so they had no other choice but to follow their orders.
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Post by pontifex on Jun 10, 2020 20:02:15 GMT -5
Instinct took him, at the first sound. His useless left hand reached for his scabbard and clumsily drew his sword forth. His eyes were wide. What was this now? His sword fell from his useless hand, and he turned to face the man that appeared to be the leader. It had been more difficult to take him in the Whispering Wood, he had taken half a dozen northmen with him then...if only...
"Why my good fellows, I am sure we can reach some sort of arrangement here. Are you the Hound's lackeys? I am sure a price can be reached for every member of the band. I trust you know who I am?"
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Post by perry on Jun 10, 2020 20:15:04 GMT -5
"Aye, I know who you are.. Kingslayer. But I ain't no ones lacky." The words came up like bile in Harwin's throat. He had seen the bastard before, though the man had been pretty then, half a woman and he'd had two hands. "If I didn't know the mug, the golden hand would give it away." The Northmen said gruffly. "If you're speaking to the boss you'll get off the horse. We have to go on a little hike in the woods." He smiled placing a hand on his pommel, but those with bows notched arrows.
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LD
Veteran
Posts: 35
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Post by LD on Jun 10, 2020 20:49:33 GMT -5
"Then lead the way", Brienne solely said in order to take the initiative before Lannister could do so, "I'll help him."
Brienne would eventually help Jaime off the horse, knowing that he wouldn't trust the members of the Brotherhood. Neither did she, if she was honest with herself. Even while knowing that Catelyn Stark commanded these men, who were currently more bandits than soldiers in terms of appearence, it was hard to tell whether they all owed their loyality towards their undead leader or would share the same level of loyality with the Bloody Mummers, who pretty much disbanded into all directions after Vargo Hoat's death.
Even her own loyality was something she questioned.
Before it laid with Renly Baratheon, her king, the one she was willing to protect with her life,
afterwards with Catelyn Stark, who persuaded her to enter her services after Renly's death.
And beyond that Jaime Lannister gave her the same task, with which Catelyn had entrusted her, when she was alive.
Was she now any different, if she chose to sacrifice Jaime Lannister for the sake of returning Stark's daughter to her family?
Again she was concerned when it came to her previous decisions and it wasn't hard to tell. Her face indicated, that she felt troubled.
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Post by perry on Jun 10, 2020 21:14:28 GMT -5
They were led through the woods by Harwin, the Northmen whistling along the way. The others began emerging surrounding the two as they made their way off the trail through the woods. Eventually arriving at a small grove, where a half dozen more men waited. One wore the hounds gaudy helm, beaten and dented, though he was smaller than the Hound and wore a quire yellow cloak. Among those here were one eyed Jack-Be-Lucky, burly Likely Luke, Beardless Dick, and a cloaked man face obscured. In the middle of the grove was a gnarled and twisted tree, blacked and dead, next to it stood a female form cloaked and her back turned. A young Northmen stood beside her. Harwin stopped whistling, abruptly. "Brought them, as promised." He said. "Surprised the woman held up her end of the deal.." Said the man wearing the Hound's helm, his voice echoing within the the confines of his helmet. The woman by the tree did not move, nor utter a word yet, as a cold winter's breeze blew through the trees.
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Post by AxBrew Sunster on Jun 10, 2020 21:52:24 GMT -5
From the back of the group, another figure strode forward, half obscured by a cloak, which he pushed back to reveal a coat of mail, a sword at his hip, and the weathered face of the Blackfish, Brynden Tully. A keen eye, or simply one familiar with armor, would likely be able to tell that the ringmail was not quite as well-fitting as a castle-forged suit made to the knights specifications would have been, but it would certainly be serviceable. "I didn't expect we would meet again so soon Kingslayer," the veteran knight said, eyes leveled on the now bearded and grizzled Lannister. "When we last spoke, you said that an old man and a cripple would be well matched. We may yet find out," he said. His face was hard, and his voice was stern.
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Post by pontifex on Jun 12, 2020 19:24:50 GMT -5
Jaime knew immediately from spotting the man in the Hound's helm that something was wrong. He glanced left and right, assuming he was taken either by some sellsword company, some group of rebels, or some amalgamation of the two. In any event, he was a prisoner again. He was vulnerable again. He had trusted Brienne and it had ultimately led him into the maw. Yet part of him had to believe...needed to believe...that it had not been so. He did not smile, he did not jape. "Brienne..." he said softly. "What is going on?"
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"So many of you and yet I know only one of you." Jaime started. "Ser Black Fish" he said bemused. "You led us a merry chase in the Riverlands. You may be the only Fish left suited to sit in Riverrun. Perhaps I could make it so, if we could come to some accord. I am.." he stuttered. "I am not the man I once was." He cocked his head to the side, aware of how it sounded. Completely unfounded. Yet it was true. Cersei was as good as lost, the war was an injustice wrought upon the Realm. But who would believe him? Who could believe him? Gods be good, his death would be seen as just. A final jape, a final misplaced effort at justice. He almost wanted to cry. He did that which he previously would have never considered. "I appeal to the Mother's mercy, for the love of the gods, hear me out." he said while averting his glance. "From one knight to another."
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Post by perry on Jun 12, 2020 19:56:40 GMT -5
A few of the Brotherhood gave grim laughter in reply. However, Harwin did not laugh. "Oh you know me, Kingslayer." He said plainly, gritting his teeth. "Your vicious bastard killed my Lord, but there's someone else you wronged more thoroughly here." He seemed resentful, bitter.
The young Northmen stepped forward from the tree. "Oh you certainly know someone else here.." He said, drawing out his words. "Quite well, actually." The woman wearing the cloak stepped forward, walking toward the circle of cutthroats. As she drew closer he could see her, like some apparition in a nightmare. Her cloak and scarf cover her neck. Her hair was brittle and white, not the flowing auburn locks she once bore. Her skin was pudding soft and racked with claw marks, not the porcelain white she once had. But her eyes, they were the same Tully blue, though they seethed with hate. It was Catelyn Tully, seemingly back from the dead.
She raised a gloved hand toward her neck, and gripped tightly. "The.. Lannisters.. s..send their re..gards." She croaked, her voice was not unlike the sound of a person drowning.
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Post by pontifex on Jun 12, 2020 20:15:14 GMT -5
Jaime was at first breathless. What he saw made no sense. He tired to focus. Was this a dream? Was he drunk? No...he felt normal, he was aware. But his throat was dry all the same. He struggled to even articulate himself. "L...L...Lady...C...C..C..Catelyn." he began. "Lady Catelyn?" As soon as he recognized her the sooner he thought it would be impossible. He knew she must be referring the Red Wedding. Yet how? HOW?! "My...Lady. I was sent south. I had no part in...what happened." he shook his head in disbelief. "I have no idea how...how this could occur?" he shot a blind glance at Brienne. "I was." he paused. "I was trying to save your daughters. I even gave my sword to your sworn shield, Brienne...I was trying to find Arya to keep her safe and..." He finished, knowing she would never believe it. He came the the obvious conclusion. He would not leave this meeting alive. "Lady Catelyn, I submit to your justice." he said at length. He felt strangely at ease. Soon he would feel nothing, or so he thought...
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Post by perry on Jun 12, 2020 20:30:13 GMT -5
“Liar!” Cried Beardless Dick, joined by Lem Lemoncloak from within the Hound’s helm. “The Red Wedding is just one of your crimes!” Added Harwin.
“You and yours took everything from Lady Stoneheart.. everything.” The young Northmen said. “Cut her throat so deep she can hardly speak, but she remembers you, Kingslayer.” Catelyn watched, peering out from beneath her cloak. “The Lightning Lord gave his life for her’s, so she could take the life from you and yours.” Catelyn stayed silent, letting her hand fall from her own throat. “If you were looking for them, where are the Stark girls?” The Northmen continued.
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Post by AxBrew Sunster on Jun 12, 2020 21:18:17 GMT -5
"I'll hear you out, Lord Commander Lannister," Brynden told him, though he spat the title out as if it were a curse, "But know that this is not my company, and justice is not mine to dispense here. Many here have been more wronged than I have." He stepped forward from the group, "You'll have to be quite persuasive if you want to see another morning Kingslayer."
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LD
Veteran
Posts: 35
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Post by LD on Jun 13, 2020 5:04:58 GMT -5
"He speaks the truth", Brienne would eventually say, as she had found once more the courage to speak up, looking apologizing into Jaime's eyes, "On our way to King's Landing, we were captured by the Bloody Mummers and brought to Harrenhal - Lord Bolton was the one, who recognized the Kingslayer and sent him to King's Landing, leaving me in the sellsword's hands. If it wasn't for Lannister saving my life back then at the bear pit, I might be dead for he protected me, where there was no need to."
Looking towards Brynden Tully, she hoped that Lady Catelyn - no, Stoneheart - would actually listen now to her defense and to the defense of Lannister. They were certainly outnumbered and the Blackfish would probably complicate any chance for escape even more. Nontheless she was willing to do this whole thing just, for she felt it was wrong to not do it.
"Lannister protected me when we were at King's Landing, even when former members of my King's host accused me of having murdered him", she then continiued, "He gave me Oathbreaker, once part of Ice, the Valyrian blade before giving me the task of finding the lost Stark children. That is with what I was tasked and so I was also tasked by you, Lady Stark, to bring the Kingslayer... for he shall be testimony to that I spoke the truth before you tried to hang me."
She looked up in order to also reveal the slight marks, she had recieved previously, when both she and Podrick were supposed to hang.
Oh Podrick...
She could only hope that Stark hasn't done anything to the poor lad, for noone easily mocks the Maid of Tarth in a dishonorable way, if she was just used as a bait for unjust revenge upon the one Lannister, that had never even a hand within the plans towards the Red Wedding at all!
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Post by AxBrew Sunster on Jun 13, 2020 5:30:01 GMT -5
When Brienne's gaze past over Brynden, she beheld the Blackfish in a moment of uncertainty. Since joining up with the Brotherhood, he had witnessed Lady Stoneheart's justice on more than one occasion, and the Kingslayer's chances were not good. However, if the Maid of Tarth would now raise her voice in his defense, perhaps it would not be carrying out justice after all to see him hang. He thought of what he knew of the knight, and realized that beyond one event which had given him a name, and a reputation, that had carried with him his entire life, he did not truly know that much about the man. What he did know, however, was of nothing short of the perfect knight, aside from those rumors about him and his sister which had spread throughout the kingdoms. A moment of doubt began to creep into his heart - it would be hard to watch the man hang, for surely he would, but he did not think his standing was enough among this group that his voice would change anything. To most people, he was the Blackfish, but to many of this bunch he was simply another member, and one of the newest at that. Not to mention shorter than he should be. With everyone else, his gaze swung towards Lady Stoneheart as Brienne finished her plea.
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Post by perry on Jun 13, 2020 8:39:03 GMT -5
“Your defense is that you were released from the clutches of the man who put a dagger through Robb Stark’s heart?” The young Northmen said incredulously, anger rising. “That the Kingslayer was YOUR friend, and protected YOU?” He spat on the cold earth. “That he gave YOU a chunk of Ice, the Stark blade that had served for a hundred generations.. that those bleeding Lannister’s melted down, after the vicious bastard Joffrey murdered Lord Eddard? Murdered for revealing the truth, that Cersei and Jaime were having children born of incest beneath Robert’s nose, admit it Lady Stoneheart has seen the proof.” Catelyn eyes looked forward, they seethed, they hated. But, for a moment, at the mention of Eddard there was something else. “That blade never belonged to them nor you, that blade’s of the North, Robb would have held it one day.” The Northmen said, before a weird silence feel over the score of men standing in the glen, Catelyn stepped forward reaching her hand out for the blade, that sword had meant so much to Ned.. for an instance she recalled how her husband would clean the thing. Ned, her husband’s image was buried beneath so many horrors, she could hardly remember his face. “Give.. me.. Ice..” She croaked. “You twist the truth even now Tarth, you were sent to bring him here to hang, and you know it.” The Northmen surmised.
“Lost your hand, what about your tongue? Or is that made of gold too?” Lemoncloak questioned, his statement garnering some laughs. “At the least you get the chance to ramble, more than my wife and kids got when you Westermen came.” His voice was angry, as the rest of the brotherhood feel into silence.
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