|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 14, 2017 17:08:34 GMT
On the first day of tourney, the kings give to you archery. Dozens of bowmen from across the realms come to the field for a day to determine who the champion is. The stands aren't full on this particular event but many of the nobles come simply to mingle, and to see who all is worth hiring as a mercenary or if anyone can be discovered before joining a lucrative contract with a sellsword company.
The Hoares have water stations about for the hot weather, tents for shade, and dens of ill repute suspiciously close to the tourney grounds, save on one side where the more modest and pious families may gather. Four Finger Felix is the arbiter for the day, the one handed former warrior missing his left arm and a pinky on his right hand, but he has more teeth than at least a third of those present in the stands.
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 14, 2017 23:31:31 GMT
Perceon shows up early, so as not to miss an opportunity to speak with other nobles, not caring much for the archery itself. He steers well clear of the shady looking constructions that had been erected near the field, not expecting he would find anything within them that would match his tastes. He also keeps his distance from the water stations, not trusting the ironborn to have a sound grasp on water purification and not wanting to fall ill from drinking something he avoided even in the Reach over concern for his health.
The one thing he does take advantage of is the tents to shade the audience, picking one that looked to be for highborn persons and sitting waiting for the competition to begin or for other audience members of interest to arrive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mychel Mallister on Aug 15, 2017 0:12:14 GMT
Mychel is present waiting with the other competitors. He has his own bow and just looks around at the others who will be competing.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 0:58:25 GMT
The Durrandons, Arryns and other Vale lords, Targaryens, and Martells are the primary viewers of the archery. Some of the Reach's best participate while the Westerners seemed more interested in practicing for the joust coming up. Northmen are seen but their numbers are few and unless the giant Stokk is about the majority of them aren't dressed altogether differently from the commoners.
Perceon sees a lovely girl with honey blond hair and purplish eyes walking bout, her tight top making her assets bounce in a perky manner. She pecks Michel on the cheek as he strings his bow. "Good luck, Mikey!" She said in a fake little girl voice and then wandered over Perceon's way. She inspected him top to bottom as his guards looked at him. "Well, now, she said, "Prince Perceon Gardener, it's such a pleasure to finnnnally make your acquaintance. I'm Asha Hoare," she said, "daughter to Harmund who I am sure you have heard of, and his wife Larissa, whom you probably have heard plenty of lies about."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 15, 2017 2:36:32 GMT
"I'm pleased to meet you as well." Perceon responded, standing up as she spoke to him and inclining his head respectfully. "As for lies about your mother, I don't believe I've heard any. I tend to avoid gossip; all it does is wrongly damage reputations for no good reason."
This was utterly untrue. Perceon enjoyed good gossip and had heard at least some of the tales that were in circulation about Asha's mother, but figured there was no benefit to admitting as much. He also saw no harm in misleading the girl about himself, since he felt her kin had done the same to him, giving him one impression and then revealing an altogether different side.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 3:00:25 GMT
"But it's fun," she said, taking a seat next to him and looking at the archers. "Or it can be, if you're not being too malicious. If nothing else, if you keep abreast of the gossip, you can know what people may be thinking of you." She let her hair fall across her face as the breeze blew it. "But it's all right; everyone knows about my mother. House Dayne's fallen star, you'd think she'd be the paragon of the house. Apparently a star can fall right on off the tabard..." she mimicked it, drawing her finger down in a mocking pattern of the Dayne's symbol.
"Are you a real fan of archery?" She asked. "I always thought it was dreadfully boring. Who got famous for shooting a bow? Men should stab people up close; killing should have to be a personal thing. Arrows makes it so...easy."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 15, 2017 3:12:54 GMT
"But it's fun," she said, taking a seat next to him and looking at the archers. "Or it can be, if you're not being too malicious. If nothing else, if you keep abreast of the gossip, you can know what people may be thinking of you." She let her hair fall across her face as the breeze blew it. "But it's all right; everyone knows about my mother. House Dayne's fallen star, you'd think she'd be the paragon of the house. Apparently a star can fall right on off the tabard..." she mimicked it, drawing her finger down in a mocking pattern of the Dayne's symbol. "Are you a real fan of archery?" She asked. "I always thought it was dreadfully boring. Who got famous for shooting a bow? Men should stab people up close; killing should have to be a personal thing. Arrows makes it so...easy." "I've never had problems figuring out what people thought of me." Perceon responded. "And you'll have to fill me in on what makes it so fun." Perceon sounded inquisitive. Despite having ideas of his own, but was curious if ironborn gossiped for the same reasons nobles did in the Reach. He glanced about to see if any Dornish were close enough to be listening to their conversation before quietly adding, "As for the rumours, House Dayne has never been a friend of the Reach, so I don't much care what they think of your mother." "I don't have any real appetite for archery either." He added, more honest with her about that, but still speaking quietly so he didn't offend some nearby lover of the event. "It's a skill, I'll admit that, but there are many skills I do not think I would normally sit to watch. We don't congregate to watch blacksmiths compete, or farmers plow fields. It seems to me that archers get special treatment just because they are rather useful in times of war. But some of my fellow Reachmen are out there, so I am obligated to attend so I can say I was present when they claimed their victory." Perceon pointed to a few of the competitors he recognise as he spoke. "Not to mention it brings together people I actually am interested in talking to." He said nothing in response to her comments about getting close to men to kill them, thinking it was rather unladylike of her to revel in gore, but not so impolite as to point it out. |
|
|
|
Post by Lord Daeron Blacktyde on Aug 15, 2017 3:23:20 GMT
Lord Daeron is present in the stands, silently watching to see if Mychel will win. The scrawny people launching sticks always amused him, anyways.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 20:51:59 GMT
"Who are you interested in talking to?" She asked, scooting right next to him. "No one watches men work iron or plow fields because it reminds them of the truth," she said. "We make these grand tourneys so that we can all pretend life really is like the stories we're told as children for a while, when really...." she shrugged. "The blacksmith and the farmer doesn't need anyone who can shoot a bow or swing a sword, if it weren't for the fact that people like us had others who possess those skills, and seek to harm the little people. So really, they are watching the demonstration of the tools of their own oppression." She smiled. "It is grim, I know, but I am a fan of irony."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 21:06:45 GMT
Mychel fires his first arrow with the eighty others, and his strikes true in the target at seventy five paces, a real shot, while dozens of other miss. Asha claps wildly and someone who must be her sister does too from nearer the rest of the Ironborn. Thirty or so people are left by the end of the first round.
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 15, 2017 21:40:29 GMT
"Who are you interested in talking to?" She asked, scooting right next to him. "No one watches men work iron or plow fields because it reminds them of the truth," she said. "We make these grand tourneys so that we can all pretend life really is like the stories we're told as children for a while, when really...." she shrugged. "The blacksmith and the farmer doesn't need anyone who can shoot a bow or swing a sword, if it weren't for the fact that people like us had others who possess those skills, and seek to harm the little people. So really, they are watching the demonstration of the tools of their own oppression." She smiled. "It is grim, I know, but I am a fan of irony." She was attractive enough and Perceon didn't slide down to give her more space, letting her sit where she had chosen to. "My fellow royals." He replied. "It is useful to become acquainted with those like ourselves who have the power to ruin lives, as you so aptly pointed out." Perceon didnt share any more details of who he wished to become more acquainted with and who he didn't. He hesitated, wondering if what he was thinking was wise to say, but eventually deciding that if anyone would respond well to frankness his money would be on Asha. "Since you love irony, I hope you will not begrudge me pointing out that our entire conversation is rather ironic. Here we are, acting with such politeness to one another when our respective little people have been killing one another for as long as the written record can remember. I can't imagine you awoke this morning hoping for nothing more than to go watch an event you find uninteresting and talk to a man whose brother is no doubt hated by much of your family and vassals, yourself included maybe. So, why am I the man whose company you chose to watch this boring spectacle?" Perceon held his applause, waiting to cheer for his compatriots once they truly distinguished themselves. |
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 22:06:58 GMT
"It isn't irony if it's planned," she pointed out. "Being polite has never gotten in the way of war. That's what the code of chivalry is; making war polite. I woke up this morning naked as usual, and I did plan on watching this event. I find your brother the chief entertainment of this event, him and his wife and my silly nephew. I decided to see what you were all like." She batted her eyes. "Is that a problem?"
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 15, 2017 22:16:25 GMT
"And yet my brother is not competing, and here you are with me." Perceon replied, having done his best to not look completely taken aback by her discussing nudity in such a public forum. "I have no problem with that, mind you."
He looked out into the field at the man she had kissed on the way over trying to recall who he was and failing. "So, are you and he betrothed?" He asked, pointing in Mychel's general direction.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 22:54:37 GMT
"If I could find him I guess I'd hang around him," she said with a bit of a grin. "I think I could handle his wife. Or join her, hell." She rubbed her hands together. "Mychel? Ew, no," she spat out, then shuddered. "No, no, no. He is one my favorite bannermen," she said. "He is dumb and he enjoys hitting things. Really, that's all a lord needs. It's better if they aren't too imaginative."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 23:07:40 GMT
The second round of archery goes, and the thirty fire at one hundred paces. Mychel's shot isn't as pretty this time, but he hits the target low. Only a dozen others do. Asha cheers, and Perceon has Jared Fossoway and Ser Willis of Oldtown as contestants left.
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 15, 2017 23:15:11 GMT
"If I could find him I guess I'd hang around him," she said with a bit of a grin. "I think I could handle his wife. Or join her, hell." She rubbed her hands together. "Mychel? Ew, no," she spat out, then shuddered. "No, no, no. He is one my favorite bannermen," she said. "He is dumb and he enjoys hitting things. Really, that's all a lord needs. It's better if they aren't too imaginative." "I'm wounded." Perceon said, not all that serious about it. "And you'd be better off sticking with me. My brother is not inclined to sharing, and his wife is made of sterner stuff than you think." He looked at Mychel, figuring he knew the type well enough now she had explained it to him. "I have many bannermen who'd get along well with him." He commented. "If they could be persuaded to stop beating upon one another long enough to recognize their shared love for such things. But I am in agreement with you that someone with more subtlety, better conversation, and a greater variety of interests is a preferable partner in marriage. Do you have any say in who you're given to? I didn't my first time around, but now I am fortunate enough to have a little say, at least. Makes it much less an unfortunate cloud on the horizon I've found." Perceon still saw no need to applaud as yet, and gave Asha his attention for the time being. |
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 15, 2017 23:26:22 GMT
"I'm choosing my husband," she said with certainty. "My father trusts my judgement." She laughed. "If they liked each other, they'd drink and whore, not fight," she pointed out. "I've seena dozen of these things and the only people who make money seem to be the ladies on the seedy part of town. Do you want a clever wife?" she said. "Clever wives make trouble, I've heard. They get bored stitching and praying and start partaking in that gossip."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 16, 2017 1:21:12 GMT
"Whoring and drinking is an odd way to show affection for a loved one." Perceon retorted, not speaking to the validity of her comment about fighting. "For my part I'd sooner die than shame my wife, my family, and the reach by breaking my marriage vows with some filthy whore."
He smiled. "And who says a wife cannot be clever and loyal? If she is right for me, then surely she should have no wish to share me, nor me her. Certainly such a woman is no easy thing to find, but you and I have the advantage of choice, so why not use it to chose someone worthy?"
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 16, 2017 2:34:58 GMT
"The men, not the couple," she said, shaking a hand in irritation. "Of course he wife isn't sharing whores with her husband. These louts," she waved over the field. What if there's no one worthy that brings your house benefit?" She asked. "There's only so many greater nobles unwed, and fewer of them worth the expensive chairs they hope to sit on one day."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 16, 2017 2:45:45 GMT
"I happen to think there is still hope of a worthy match being made that helps my house." Perceon replied, offering no further information to Asha about his romantic pursuits, not trusting her or her family near enough for that. "And if I am wrong then I shall have to marry for the benefit of my house if both aren't to be had in the same woman."
He looked at Asha. "What will you do if you can't find someone worthy who benefits your house?"
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 16, 2017 12:19:43 GMT
"The same thing," she said. "We have to do our duty to our kingdoms before ourselves. I am hoping it doesn't come to that," she added. "But if it does I suppose there are worse tragedies in life. I imagine one could make a marriage work with anyone if they tried hard enough."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 16, 2017 15:13:16 GMT
"Not anyone." Perceon replied with conviction. "Some people are impossible to please."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 16, 2017 15:27:22 GMT
Asha shrugged. "Are you impossible to please? Who have you met who you just can't seem to impress?" She asked. Another volley of arrows goes out and a half dozen remain, Mallister and Willis and four others, two Dornishman and a Stormlander and a strange looking man in mossy green. "You should root for my man if yours falls out," she said. "It'd be awfully polite of you." She laughed and the sun danced off her hair. "I came to apologize for the trouble that's happened, if you want the truth," she said. "My nephew can be dry fiery for his monkish upbringing. I think he was repressed for too long at the Citadel."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 16, 2017 15:45:57 GMT
"Me? I don't think I am." Perceon replied. "Maybe I'm difficult. Certainly not impossible. My beloved wife before she was taken by the gods, well, you shall not hear me speak ill of her." Perceon's tone implied he was doing just that.
"I'll root for yours if you root for mine when he outlasts who you have." Perceon smirked, always one to favour the competitors of the Reach at tournaments. It was usually a safe bet. His jovial attitude disappeared before he spoke if the final topic though. "That is very decent if you. Theon's behaviour was most unfortunate. I had thought he was a better man than he proved himself to be. Nevertheless, I hope he is recovering from whatever it was he was poisoned with. I can promise you the Reach had nothing to do with that. We settle our quarrels with honour, not underhanded trickery."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 16, 2017 15:58:15 GMT
"Most of you do," she agreed. "Someone surely doesn't. No one admits to using poison, not even those smelly Dornish." She shrugged. "I'll root for your hedge knight," she offered. "Old flames leave a lot of ashes, perhaps your dear sister in law accidentally stoked a few. He paid for his rashness, at least, I odn't think anyone would deny that." As the final four come to it, she leaned over. "I'll wager you a drink that my man wins."
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 16, 2017 23:32:07 GMT
"Done." Perceon responded, never one to turn down what looked to be 3/4 odds. Especially when it seemed no ill could come of losing. "I hope you enjoy buying."
"If it was someone of the Reach who poisoned your nephew they did so without my knowledge. Or my brother's or father's. I can assure you of that." Perceon vowed. "Your nephew did pay for his rashness, but he accrued another debt to the reach with the insults he paid my brother after he yielded. He was fortunate the poison revealed itself when it did."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 17, 2017 2:34:06 GMT
"The poison undoubtedly led to his saying such silly things," Asha said. "I've never been poisoned but I was given a sedative once. I think I recall saying that I could see Children of the Forest dancing in my room." She smiled. "I'd have bought the drink anyway if you wanted, I'm not afraid to be a little bold. Modesty is for those who have things to be modest about." She looked at him. "Another debt, hm? Seems awfully ominous. Will his poor aunt have to repay it?"
|
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 17, 2017 2:54:22 GMT
Archery:
Mychel: 81
Willis: 78
Elgan: 133
Balor: 122
The final round goes, and at one hundred fifty paces only two archers hit the target. Elgan Sand manages to do the ebst shot, striking his target center mass, while Balor of the isles only hits its feet.
Mychel: +2 archery
|
|
|
|
Post by King Perceon IV Gardener on Aug 17, 2017 12:42:35 GMT
"The poison undoubtedly led to his saying such silly things," Asha said. "I've never been poisoned but I was given a sedative once. I think I recall saying that I could see Children of the Forest dancing in my room." She smiled. "I'd have bought the drink anyway if you wanted, I'm not afraid to be a little bold. Modesty is for those who have things to be modest about." She looked at him. "Another debt, hm? Seems awfully ominous. Will his poor aunt have to repay it?" "Perhaps the poison had some effect on his thought process." Perceon allowed. "But my brother, and by extension my family, was insulted all the same before the royalty and nobility of the seven kingdoms. If we were not upset we would not be worthy of our crown. But enough of this talk, it is only getting in the way of our becoming friends. I'm sure you and I can be on good terms without my needing to care for your nephew. His debts are his own, and unless you had a proposal on how they might be repayed I could not fairly hold them against you. Particularly not when you've been so polite to me." "So you say you saw children of the forest? That is a unique experience. Why were you sedated?" Perceon asked, changing the topic. "I would have thought you'd refuse all medical treatment to prove you aren't soft. Isn't that what ironborn do?" He returned her smile, growing slightly more genuine, recognizing she was trying hard to get along with him. "I would not have refused." Peron said in response to her offer, appraising Asha more careully to gauge her age. He was gradually becoming interested in her rather than simply engaging out of politeness. "I would like to know more of you, and they say alcohol losens tongues, so what better way than what you have offered; for all the current differences between our families you are quite enjoyable to converse with." He noted, offering her a compliment he had not expected to earlier. "I do hope you're not hoping your purchase might allow you to hear of all my misdeeds from my younger days. I will warn you now there are few of interest. Your stories are probably far more interesting. Besides, I would be remiss to allow a fine lady such as yourself to develop the impression I'm not a man of my word. If your friend Mychel wins, our drinks are on me. As for modesty, I can see you have no reason to be modest about your wit or your looks. You'll have to enlighten me on what else you excel at though. I do not know you well enough to guess yet, beyond hazarding one on gossip since you mentioned enjoying it." (Charm 75) GCD0v4dm |
|
|
|
Post by The Forgotten God on Aug 17, 2017 14:00:58 GMT
(No effect, words will stand on their own)
Asha is seventeen or eighteen perhaps, the middle daughter of King Harmund and his 'salt' wife Larissa Dayne, the true queen of the kingdom. She listens to him and twirls her hair and makes kissing faces to try making him lose his train of thought with a smile on her face. She answered his questions in order as best she could. "I saw the children," she said with surety. "I broke my leg riding horses and they gave me the potion to make the pain go away." She frowned at his question on medicine. "Maybe some Ironborn do t use medicine and try acting tough. They're the ones who die from infections," she noted.
"As to loosening my tongue, I believe that is quite a forward statement for you to make at me. My tongue only loosens if I want it to," she said. "An honorable Reachmen wouldn't simply ply a girl with wine to get her to say things, would he?" She batted her eyes. "I seem to have lost, I suppose the victor must find where he shall claim his prize," she said in disappointment, presumably only because her friend had lost. "If you have stories worth hearing, I will bet a gold coin I will pry t out of you," she promised.
|
|
