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Post by Gandalf on Jun 30, 2020 12:55:21 GMT -5
”Leave that to the Maesters. He owes both you and Lord Tully homage for his lands, as I see it.”
The King tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne.
”Lord Baelish shall remain here and keep the King’s peace in the Vale until the war is over and the new Lord Arryn can return to take up his seat.”
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Post by oznerol on Jun 30, 2020 13:52:10 GMT -5
"I have no love for a keep which is more a pile of stones than a true keep. If this creates conflict I shall hand it to my steward who has for many years lived and taken care of the said tower"
Added Baelish, who had little love for the Drearfort.
"Thus, I shall please both parts"
He bows slightly.
"I shall take care of the kingdom in lord Harrold's absence, my liege"
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Post by Magnate Lucius on Jun 30, 2020 15:49:10 GMT -5
With this done, a new wedding would commence in the following days. Harrold Arryn was raised up as Lord of the Vale, followed by a series of conversions among the nobility. Notably, House Hunter, House Redfort, the Arryn cousins of Gulltown, his Hardyng cousins of Hardvale, and even the prestigious House Corbray. A small ceremony was held, prior to the wedding, ensuring Harrold was both an Arryn and Robert's successor. What followed next had been a long anticipated marriage.
Before the gathered nobility, knights, and such of the North, the Vale, and the Stormlands, Harrold was wedded to Sansa Stark, with the Red Woman performing the rights of marriage. She too had converted to the Red Faith, yet, like with Harrold, it likely wasn't a certainty if it was a devoted or a convenient conversion. Time would likely tell for both of them. A feast commenced after, celebration the union between the Young Falcon and the Wolf Girl. Above the table, new sigils, signifying their conversion, were held high for all to see. Dancing, drinking, and merry moods ensured a lovely night for all. It was a moment of peace, for all, before the Vale's banners would be raised and they would march to join Stannis Baratheon in his fight to claim the Iron Throne.
The marriage was consummated that night and, soon enough, all hoped, Sansa Stark would bear the heir of the Vale.
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Post by oznerol on Jun 30, 2020 16:45:58 GMT -5
She had once been married, to a man who casted a very large shadow yet was half-one. Yet, this time was different. Harrold had the urge to bed her and have her bearing his children, because he was the last of his line. And, on her own, Sansa needed and wanted a child to grant her a status within the Vale, Lady on behalf of her own blood, and a barren lady was a disgrace, something she wanted to avoid. Anyway, when the bedding came both groom and bride were undressed by lords and ladies, drunk and merry; Ser Templeton seemed particularly daring, just like his wife, Randa Royce, who was rather adventurous. Baelish and Stannis did not share the revelries of such a custom, neither the later's queen, Lady Selyse. Jon did not join either, but for respect to his sister. When both were left alone in bed they were breathless and naked like the day they were born. She reached to him, showing initiative, albeit she was slightly doubtful of what her role in all this was. However, she soon gained confidence and followed Harrold's lead. His body was nothing like the Imp and Sansa knew she could get used easy to the lean hard and nimble Harry. In little time she even managed to have a leading role and both were surprised by dawn as naked as they entered the bed, but wasted after a night of celebration and merry-making. The sun found Sansa fully awake and Harry sleeping, she grabbed a robe and went to bathe, with the help of her handmaidens, who cleaned her. The servants dutyfully noted the presence of blood in the sheets and they informed the castle's maester, who then happily shared the news across the castle. Lord of Light willing, there would be a heir of Arryn soon.
Sansa sang to herself as the maids combed and braided her splendid red hair, she looked at her own reflection and raised her chin. Now she knew what kind of power women could have in men and she would not waste it, like Cersei did. Admiring her own mirrored image she let the servants do their job, while her mind raced through the possibilites. Lady of the Vale wasn't too bad, she wasn't a queen, yet she could have ended worse. And the Eyrie was a kingly seat. She wondered what Baelish would have done that night, but the mockingbird was no-where to be seen for days in a row. Lady Stark, no, Lady Arryn, had a new god now, but she didn't dwell on it, neither gave much thought to her conversion, done out of political convenience. The Gods of her father were far away and had no power in the South, maybe Rh'llor would.
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 30, 2020 17:12:19 GMT -5
It was a cause for celebration for many. Royce enjoyed the festivities by making merry and getting drunk, with both Albar and Randa involving themselves in the raunchy tradition of the bedding. Nestor had even discovered his son making amends with the now Lord Harrold over a mug of ale, and had that very evening swore to join these so-called Knights of the Flaming Heart and take up the worship of this Red God. Shireen sat with Devan, and politely spoke with the new Lady Arryn and some other girls her age under the watchful eye of her hawkish mother. Stannis remained in his chambers, joined by Melisandre after she had administered the rites. The King was keeping only her counsel tonight, though it was not particularly surprising in itself that he stayed away from idle merry making. He found no joy in wine or song, for they reminded him only of Robert and Renly and their frivolities.
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Post by Pinkerton on Jun 30, 2020 20:19:17 GMT -5
Templeton was visibly annoyed for most of the celebration. He had tied his luck to Baelish's and now the rumor was that he'd be leaving the Vale and renouncing his meager castle to go and serve as Lord of Harrenhal. The brat he looked down on was now Lord of the Vale and adorned his first name with Arryn. The irony did not escape him, of course. This all happened because of Stannis. The same Stannis he had been sent to negotiate with, the same Stannis that had rejected him and the same Stannis that was finally convinced by Templeton's appeal to the Onion Knight.
His dream of commanding the Vale's armies was in tatters as well. The new Lord of the Vale would likely ride his brave red knights to battle himself.
He emptied a couple of tankards of ale, danced a bit with his wife, and loudly left after almost stabbing a newly-converted knight serving Redfort during a heated argument.
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 30, 2020 20:44:04 GMT -5
”Don’t be a fool, Symond.”
Royce moved to join him in her old chambers, where the Knight of Ninestars had fled after his latest altercation. Myranda’s cheeks looked a little ruddy from the wine. She put her hands on her shapely hips.
”Your husband Littlefinger wasn’t going to rule here forever, you know. Harry is the heir, an Arryn. The Valesmen will always see our Lord Baelish as the up-jumped sellsword’s grandson from the smallest and shittiest of the Stepstones.”
Even her father, once a landless steward, held a name that carried some ancient weight.
”You have to adapt. Our sweet Harry might die in this new war and once again everything changes.”
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Post by Pinkerton on Jun 30, 2020 20:56:17 GMT -5
"I am a fool, darling, and I curse my luck"
Symond slurred
"I killed and I lied and I froze my balls for that knave and what did I get? Nothing! I'll make him pay if I ever see his ugly face, I tell you. I'll break every bone in his crooked body except his fucking little finger"
He dropped onto the bed
"Our sweet Harry is no better. He has exchanged his name and his gods for a title. The brat would likely cut off his manhood if it meant more power for him and that cunt Waynwood. He's a great actor, that Harrold, everyone thought he was dumb as a bag of rocks and now he lords over all of us! Long live Harrold Bag-of-Rocks and long may he reign!
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 30, 2020 21:11:50 GMT -5
”He is as dumb as a bag of rocks, dear. But he’s our Lord now. Better him than Sweetrobin.”
Randa joined him, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.
”Maybe we should be looking to the lady Sansa. She’s not as innocent as she looks, and she’ll likely be ruling in Harry’s name while our sweet lord is off fighting and fucking.
Alayne had fooled her too for a while. But the mask had eventually slipped. A handmaiden helped the drunken lady stumble into her smallclothes and then disappeared.
”But that will be my job. You’ll be riding with our noble lord Harry. What an honour.”
She giggled pleasantly, as the room started to spin.
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Post by pontifex on Jun 30, 2020 21:45:20 GMT -5
Lord Morrigen emerged from the voyage, peculiarly seasick. It had taken him almost a full week to recover yet he once again stood ready to serve.
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Post by Pinkerton on Jun 30, 2020 22:37:50 GMT -5
”He is as dumb as a bag of rocks, dear. But he’s our Lord now. Better him than Sweetrobin.” Randa joined him, taking a seat at the foot of the bed. ”Maybe we should be looking to the lady Sansa. She’s not as innocent as she looks, and she’ll likely be ruling in Harry’s name while our sweet lord is off fighting and fucking.Alayne had fooled her too for a while. But the mask had eventually slipped. A handmaiden helped the drunken lady stumble into her smallclothes and then disappeared. ”But that will be my job. You’ll be riding with our noble lord Harry. What an honour.”She giggled pleasantly, as the room started to spin.
The thought of Harrold Hardyng wearing the Hand-pin made him chuckle. "Sansa Stark the thrice-betrayer. You'd be a fool to trust her. She's as venomous as Littlefinger, if not more."
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Post by Gandalf on Jul 1, 2020 8:24:24 GMT -5
"She's still a young girl, Symond. If you fear her then you are more of a fool than I took you for."
Myranda rolled onto the bed at her husband's side.
"Littlefinger has played his game with her, like he has with all of us. You're a piece too, don't mistake it. The worst thing for Littlefinger is when a piece gets a will of its own."
Her father was not such a piece. So long as he was rewarded he was pliable, same as her husband. Sansa Stark however was made of a different metal, daughter of the noble Eddard and survivor of King's Landing.
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Post by oznerol on Jul 1, 2020 9:21:32 GMT -5
"I mean to give the smallfolk peace and food and justice. If that will not suffice to win their love, let Mushroom make a progress..."
Davos halted the reading, looking back at Shireen.
"Did he really say that? 'Room the fool? Queer Targaryens, all of them were nuts"
He resumed the reading, helping himself with a finger following each line of the illuminated page.
"...Or... pe-pe-perap... perhaps!"
Davos had frowned trying to read the word.
"... we might send a dancing bear. Someone once told me that the commons love nothing half so much as dancing bears. You may call a halt to this feast tonight as well. Send the lords home to their own keeps and give the food to the hungry. Full bellies and dancing bears shall be my... policy"
He looks to the princess again.
"I mean, I agree with the full bellies, my princess, but the bears? Dancing bears are a sad thing, last I saw looked miserable"
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Post by Gandalf on Jul 1, 2020 10:05:08 GMT -5
"Mushroom likes to make the stories funny. Maester Cressen used to tell me it probably wasn't true."
Shireen smiled, sadly. The old man had been nice to her, and had sat to read stories with her like Davos often did.
"But I like the way he tells it better than the old septons. Their stories are always so boring."
Patchface started dancing behind them, the bells in his hat jingling with merriment.
"Under the sea, the bears are always dancing. I know, I know, oh, oh, oh."
The Fool sang, shrill and out of tune. The princess giggled.
"I bet our Patchface is like Mushroom, only pretending to be a fool."
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Post by oznerol on Jul 1, 2020 10:51:50 GMT -5
"Mushroom likes to make the stories funny. Maester Cressen used to tell me it probably wasn't true."Shireen smiled, sadly. The old man had been nice to her, and had sat to read stories with her like Davos often did. "But I like the way he tells it better than the old septons. Their stories are always so boring."Patchface started dancing behind them, the bells in his hat jingling with merriment. "Under the sea, the bears are always dancing. I know, I know, oh, oh, oh."The Fool sang, shrill and out of tune. The princess giggled. "I bet our Patchface is like Mushroom, only pretending to be a fool." The hairs in Davos' neck raised, eyeing the fool. "I seriously hope not, princess"He closed the book with a gloved hand. "So now this sad lad, Aegon III, is to rule. I wonder what will happen, the regency was a bumpy road for sure"He placed a hand on the cover, the shorter-than-they-should fingers running through the carved motiff. "The old men can be boring when you're young, but they can be wise. However, not that you are lacking in wisdom, your father is delighted about the Flaming Hearts and I heard that was your idea"
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