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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 1:30:48 GMT
The night was dark, with the crescent moon just a spec in the sky, mostly hidden by the rain clouds which were pouring over the storm lands. As they so often did. Most of the time this was an inconvenience but tonight it at least served a useful purpose. Both hiding the approach of an army group of men and washing away any tracks they were leaving in the mud. By morning assuming they had gone, there would be no trace they were ever here. Other than in the memories of the people they had come to meet. Members of their family by blood and marriage, the Creyon's the lords of the mighty castle known as Bronzegate.
Riley Ventai looked over his shoulder a final time as the castle came into sight. The banners along its gate illuminated by torch light. The sigil was a white horse on a field of red and blue. House Creyon's banner, so they were still in charge here. That was a good sign, at least they had found the right place.
"My lord Ventai, i don't know if we really need be so paranoid?" Redward, one of lord Riley's knight suggested, seeing how concerned his lord was.
"Redward, we are sworn banner men of House Tyrell, my cousin Alistair is sworn House Baratheon. You have not forgotten we are at war have you?" Riley reminded him, it wasn't paranoid if people were really out to get you. He would rather take precautions than end up dead. "I trust family, but i would still rather Robert never learn of my visit here tonight." He corrected his knight he looked a little sullen but nodded his acceptance. Perhaps he just didn't like being out in the rain at knight. If that was the case, Riley wondered what use the man might be if things really did get bad. In times like this he needed knights who were good for something more than showing off on tourney days. They continued up the path for the next 2 hours, Riley and his group of 30 sworn men, 5 of them knights of his own court at Ashford. If they did run into Roberts men, they would see their lord to safety at the cost of their own lives. Eventually they arrived outside the main gate of castle Bronzegate.
"Open the gates, or do you intend to keep family outside on a night like this?" Riley called up, he hoped his cousin Alistair had a roaring fire going inside.
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 6, 2013 15:44:51 GMT
Today had been a long day. first he had to listen to a lot of people who all had a lot of problems. Most of them were quite boring but he knew what he had to expect when his father fell ill. Ever since then he had ruled over the Bronzegate and it's lands. When his father died, he officially became the lord of Bronzegate. When the war started not soon later, he was supposed to call his banners, which he did, and then to join Robert's army. Instead he rallied his troops but remained where he was. He didn't feel like it was the time to go to war yet.
Alistair was just about to get into his large, empty and cold bed when the captain of the guard, Florin Blackshield, knocked on his door. "My lord, there's someone, with a small army I must add, at the gate who claims to be your cousin. He is requesting entry." The man said trough the door. "Thank you, ser Florin. Tell him he can come in, alone. I shall get dressed and meet him in the great hall." He replied while grabbing some clothes. The man said okay and went to the walls. "M'lord has sent me to tell you to come in alone, and then to go to the great hall where lord Creyon shall meet you." He then turned to the gatekeeper and shouted "Oy, open the gate!"
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 17:32:37 GMT
Riley listened as the gate captain called down to him, demanding that he come in alone. It was a fairly sensible precaution. It was too dark for the men to see who he was. For all they knew he was some crown general come to attack them and burn their castle. He would have likely done the same in their place, in fact he knew he would have. These were not safe or friendly times to live in.
"That's, fine with me, my men shall remain here." Riley called back up. A few of his men grumbled, they didn't like the idea of waiting out here in the cold and wet. Riley could understand their frustration, but there was nothing to be done about it. Maybe later they would be allowed inside. Once his cousin saw it was really him. But first they would have important things to discuss. As much as he liked his cousin this was far from being a social visit. A few moments later the gate swung open admitting him. Alone he rode threw the gate. He noticed quite a few armed men on duty, good his cousin was being careful. Anything less would be silly, at times like these everyone needed more armed men.
"Its alright, i know my way to the main hall. I haven't been here in a while but i'm sure it hasn't changed that much." Riley laughed trying to bring some cheer to the night. After all this should be a happy time, at least while it might last. Alone he headed towards the hall to see Alistair .
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 6, 2013 17:44:34 GMT
Alistair hastily grabbed a pair of pants and one of his many beige shirts before putting on his boots. After he was done, he took his long bear pelt coat and put it on. Then he attached a red and blue cape with his house's sigil, a white horse rampant, on it. Finally he took the belt with his sword on it and put it on. When he was done, he opened the door to the hall and walked to the great hall.
Once in the great hall he could hear the captain of the guard shouting towards the man, and then to the gatekeeper. He got a flacon of wine from the cabinet and filled two glasses, one for himself, and one for the other man who was about to walk trough the doors.
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 17:58:14 GMT
Riley wasn't quite sure what to expect when the gate to the great hall opened. He didn't even really know for sure if he would be welcome here tonight. Family, it had always been one of the most important things. Not only to him but to most Westerosi nobles, it was what had brought him here tonight. The realm would soon be at war, he didn't intend to have family on the other side when the fighting kicked off. It would be a shame if such a potential profitable thing as this war, went bad for either of them. They would have to make sure they were on the winning side. After what seemed an age the guards threw open the door to the great hall, it was time for a family reunion.
"Dear cousin Alistair, i hope your as well as could be expected?" Riley asked as he stepped in smiling. He had always had a gift for making friends easily, it along with his dueling reputation often made him friends at court. He smile broadly and was pleased to see Alistair had some wine ready. It had been a cold are very unpleasant ride to get here. He needed something to warm his insides. The weather in the storm lands was terrible at times.
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 6, 2013 18:37:26 GMT
Alistair wasn't sure what to expect when the man would open the doors. He waited, and after they finally opened, he saw the face of his cousin. "Ah, Riley! I'm good, considering the state of things. How about you?" He asked. Then he wanted to ask his cousin what his reasons for coming here were. After all, technically they should be enemies and be fighting right now. "What brings you here?"
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 19:01:15 GMT
Riley had not exactly been expecting a warm welcome. He had decided not to send a raven ahead to Alistair, too worried it might be intercepted. Then either he or his Alistair would be dead, depending on who intercepted it. It was too much of a risk, he would only speak of this in private. Here where he was certain their were no spies either for the king of house Baratheon.
Quickly he stepped up to his brother. Taking the offered wine in one hand as he did so. He kept his hand far away from his sword hilt. Although they were family, some of Alistair's men might be jumpy and Riley had quite the reputation as a duelist. It wasn't always useful. After all thy were technically enemies now.
"That's good to here cousin, at the moment your health and mine have never been more important. Its seeing that we stay in good health that brought me here in fact. You see the way things are going right now, one of us is bound to lose!" Riley said, knowing Alistair who know exactly what he meant.
"I came here so we might find a better alternative." Riley suggested, he had come a long way to talk. He only hoped Alistair was of a similar mind to him.
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 6, 2013 19:19:42 GMT
Alistair listened carefully to the man whom he spent his youth with. If he was saying what Alistair thought he was saying, Riley meant that either Alistair or Riley had to break his oath to his liege lord, and either join the king's side, or take Robert's side respectively. "What are you suggesting, my friend? To break the oath you swore to lord Tyrell? Are you mad?"
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 19:47:48 GMT
"Sush!" Riley said looking around, speaking in the middle of the hall probably wasn't the best idea. Alistair has good judgement but who knew if every guardsmen, ever servant could be trusted. Their own lives and that of their family was at stake here now.
"We are all going to be oath breakers before this is over, whether we like it not. We have all made so many oaths over the years and now, how do we honor one without conflicting with another. Such as the oath you swore to the king? do you honor that oath or your oath as house Baratheon as one of there bannermen?" He asked Alistair. The way he saw it this could be an opportunity not a cause for distress. But only if their houses played their cards right, otherwise both or certainly one was facing destruction.
"Maybe we should talk about this in private?" He suggested not sure how much Alistair trusted his own people. He himself had only brought the 50 men he knew would not speak about this once he returned. Officially he was out hunting in the kings wood, at least as far as anyone else knew.
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 6, 2013 20:10:26 GMT
"Alright, we can talk in the, ehm" Alistair took some time to think of a room where they could speak in private. There was his bedroom, the dining room perhaps? Then he thought of the study. A room where they could sit, but where they would also be able to talk in private. "We can go to the study. Nobody's there." He took the flacon of wine in his free hand and motioned the way to the door on the left, which would lead to a long hallway and eventually would reach the study.
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 6, 2013 20:29:19 GMT
"Of course, after you." Riley said following Alistair's lead as they left the great hall. He tried to ignore the stares of his cousins soldiers and staff. They would of course he interested as well, as what was decided here tonight would affect them all deeply. He could not worry about them, he had his own family to think about. Alistair seemed a little uncertain and confused but that was all to be expected. After all he had all the time he spend on the road between Ashford and Bronzegate to think it over. He needed to give Alistair still time as well. A about a minute later they reached his cousins private study. He usually didn't even use his own, unless he needed to send a letter by raven.
"I wish i could have sent warning ahead, but i thought it better to keep things secret." He said just as they reached the study. He waited for Alistair to open it just in case it was locked. Most nobles usually had delicate papers stored in their studies, deeds to property and the such. "I just wish i could have come here on less urgent buissness." he said, knowing they had not even had a chance to catch up.
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Post by Alistair Creyon on Mar 7, 2013 18:53:22 GMT
Alistair took out the key from one of his many pockets and opened the heavy wooden door that lead to the study. The room itself wasn't small, but it looked smaller than it actuallly was because the walls were filled with bookshelves, and here and there laid multiple stacks of books or papers. At the far end of the room, there was a sturdy table with a chair on the other side, and two chairs in front of it. Alistair walked up the the lonely chair and sat down while motioning to the other chairs.
"Yes, that was probably the best thing to do. Yet I still haven't the slightest clue of what you mean. " he said
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Post by Riley Ventai on Mar 8, 2013 17:52:15 GMT
Riley sat down, as he did taking a long deep drink of wine. It was a good year, he tried to enjoy it. Doubtless in a few months time, good wine would be hard to come by. He wondered how best to explain things to Alistair. He didn't want to come across as a petty scheming politician, even if in this case that wasn't far from the truth of the matter. Still how best to explain....
"Alistair we are in the shit now." He said deciding that the hell with it he going to be direct. Life tried to force him into politics but at heart he was a swordsman, a knight and little more. "The king is off his rocker and Baratheon is going to get a lot of people killed trying to get rid of him. I will be blunt with you. I came here to make sure that when the dust settles we are both still breathing." As he said it taking another deep drink of wine. He needed it to settle his nerves. After what he said he had no idea how his cousin would react, he could only wait and see.
He didn't know how long it had been since Alistair had been to the court at Kings Landing. If it had been a while there were things he needed to know. The world was changing and not for the better.
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