[D6 EN]Two Foxes[Closed]

[Theomore Tullison]

Having talked Dunstan into allowing him to procure Lord Tully's permission for the endeavor, Theomore makes his way to the Tully quarters, hoping that the late hour will make it easier, and dreading the prospect of it making things harder. Though Lord Tully ought to expect all sorts of things to happen during an event such as this, odds being that other matters are keeping him awake regardless, and if so, he would most likely be delighted to simply agree to a proposed solution that would allow him to ignore this particular problem.

[Reader]

Eventually, Ser Theomore's rank and exploits were enough to summon Lord and Lady Tully at this ungodly hour.

He was ushered in to a small reception chamber overlooking the Tumblestone river by a yawning guard, who sets off his companions.

"
Ser Theomore, what news drives you to seek out our company? I fear this hours belongs to men like Ser Jon Roxton, not old bones like these,"
says Lord Gorman Tully, laughing at his own joke.

Lady Alysane does not join in, simply studying Theomore.

[Theomore Tullison]

"
The news of murder, my lord."
At another time, Theomore might have made some witty comment to play off on Lord Gorman's joke. This was, sadly, not that time, he simply slides over the note Dunstan received. "
Looks like a certain knight of piety has decided to show himself, with a severed head of a Tullison guardsman enclosed in the box that note came with."
Theomore has a notion as to what the reply might be, but it would be most rude to answer that one prematurely, instead, he offers a simple statement to guide it where he'd like it. "
My lord nephew had the notion of riding out with the first six knights he could think of...good thing that a few of those have seen more than one winter come and go after earning their spurs."

[Reader]

[url=Cunning][/url]: 2#3d6 11 13

Lord Tully frowns.

"
Ser Lionel Darry's work by the sounds of things. There are many cruel enough to attempt tokill trained guardsman and several skilled enough to succeed, but Ser Lionel is one of the few "
pious"
knights who fulfils both."


Lady Alysane nods in affirmation of her husband's statement.

"
If you can track Ser Lionel, Lord Tullison is doing better than my own men have for many a year. Lord Tullison is my bannerman, and my carry my justice to Ser Lionel."


Lord Tullison had displayed unwelcome Black-tinged tendencies. Should the Tullison force triumph, a thorn in his side would be removed.

And if tragedy should strike and Dunstan fall?..

Why, then a simple marriage to the beautiful young Lady Yve Tullison and the greens would to claim House Tullison's rich iron veins.

Truly, the seven were kind to him. Maybe seneschal Hubert's recent enthusiasm for the Sept was paying off?

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Then we shall proceed and see if we cannot catch the murderer, my lord."
Theomore bows, though seems to have a thought occur to him. "
Perhaps my lord might have men in his service that knows the lay of the land to lend us?"

[Reader]

"
Oh gladly, gladly Ser Theomore. The banners of Tully and Tullison shall fly proudly together."


"
Kendrick, send Mychal with them. He is second only to Eddrick in his knowledge of the Riverlands, and tell him I said that!"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
My lord is most kind"
Theomore bows, but a single man won't diminish Tullison glory, for house Tully to claim such recognition, they'd have to send someone more prominent, but nor did Theomore mention the other names, and Tully and Tullison were rather indistinguishable for many nobles, even after a hundred years.

"
Then I have no more to further disturb your lordship"
he proclaims, ever courteous, waiting for leave to return to camp.

[Reader]

"
My own son Ser Eoric will ride with you,"
smiles Lord Tully. His grandson, Dermot, may prove more malleable if his black sympathising father fell. Even his own son was just another piece to Lord Tully.

Lord Tully gestured dismissively and shuffled off to depart.

Lady Alysane does not seem so ready to sleep, speaking softly, so as to perhaps only just reach the ears of her watching guards, if at all.

"
Novel tactics and equipment in the tilt today Ser Theomore. Congratulations on besting a member of the kingsguard."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Thank you, my lady"
Theomore opts for the humble approach, though her choice of words implies things that may turn this conversation rather interesting. "
A small gambit on my part though, I must admit, Ser Rickard is not a man I can defeat without some small amount of risk on my part."

[Reader]

"
With little risked little is gained no? A famous kingsguard, a man of excellent repute, defeated by one who seldom selects the queen of love and beauty."


"
But no little thing was risked - a man's reputation can never regain the same lustre once tarnished."


Lady Alysane played games, treading a fine line on the ambiguity of whether it was Ser Rickard's reputation or Ser Theomore's she spoke of.

"
I know little of such matters I must confess - my Lord husband has often chided me for failing to understand the finer technicalities of tilting."


She shrugs.

"
As long as I applaud in the right places, I reserve my attention for finer things, news of the realm from my correspondents and such."


[OOC: Ser Theomore - the subtext is clear - she'd like you to write to her periodically updating her on House Tullison, or she'll start putting the word out that you're a rogue.

Some may call this blackmail.]

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I see that my lady values the important things in life above the more idle fancies us knights hold dear."
Theomore knows how to give a compliment, both choice of words and choice of style. "
As do I, though I do so enjoy a little showmanship every now and then."


"
I should offer the warning that my accounts of life in the mountains is like to be boring reads, we are on the edge of the Riverlands, and not exactly noteworthy for our deeds or strengths. It does, however, make a man quite ready to make the jump to seize an opportunity when it comes by, should one be of the inclination to reach out when there is something to grasp."
If the lady wanted reports, she would have them, though it sounded more like a waste of time for both of them. But where she willing to play a more daring dance?

[Reader]

Now this was a worth sparring partner!

"
Nothing wrong with a bit of flair Ser Theomore, as long as it's deployed in the right places."


"
Have no fear that leaden prose will bore us hear in the Riverlands. We hear far too little of the mountains, and you don't deprive an old woman of tales of daring do against the clans? I hear a great force will be gathered to purge them from the mountains."


"
What better way to keep abreast of opportunities to reach for, than with regular correspondence?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Ah, the Marsten campaign."
Theomore smiles. "
If such is of interest to my lady, then I shall ensure that the full account will find it's way from Mountain's Reach to these halls."
And all he would have to do was to mention to Dunstan that lady Tully wanted to hear it. It didn't sound like he was going to take any part in it anyhow, on the pretext that someone would have to mind the castle in the absence of his lordship...real reason being Coldbrooks. But no matter, war had never been Theomore's area of expertise.

"
I must confess, my lady, that the opportunities I had in mind are here and now, for a knight from the outskirts of the realm, occurrences such as this are where the choices that matters are made, and he returns to live with the consequences."
A sinister grin flickers over his face. "
And as my lady has taken note of, some men would rather risk being the villain than to live a life in boring obscurity."

[Reader]

"
Better to seize the main chance Ser, even if in doing so a bold man's hands are cut."


"
House Tully is glad to have its own blood flow through servants as loyal as the Tullisons. Service rendered will not go unrewarded, so long as my Lord husband is served well and the Tully name clear."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
How could ever such a notion be entertained when it is both a lie and rather implausible, my lady?"
Theomore's smile takes on a certain vicious character. Lord Tully had approved nothing, in fact, he has remained quite silent on the matter, whether it was Lady Tully that wore the pants of this particular union, or he being clever enough to let her imply certain matters, Theomore did not really care. And considering the stance House Tullison had taken, and Dunstan in particular, not to mention who Theomore had squired for, it was a long stretch to attribute any act of his as motivated to further the cause of the queen.

"
Though as a loyal servant, and a bold one at that, I believe I ought to make your lordship aware of the fact that Ser Fendrel squired together with myself, for the very same knight."
It was a dangerous game to speak of the prince by his knightly title, but within the limits of propriety for the context. "
It is not something he openly flaunts, considering the general opinion on the character of the prince among the knights and ladies at Hart House. Pray forgive me if I assume too much, or have missed a larger play, but I would have thought that otherwise, a certain request of his would not be openly entertained."


"
I must say that a request from a man of his background, put forth by Wrecker Jon."
And Jon's connection to the prince was somewhat stronger than even Theomore's. "
A request for finding some sort of precedence for setting aside the inheritance of a son in favor of a brother, that my lady, might cause more disruption than a barrel of wildfire"
The lord and lady surely must be aware of the implications of setting aside Davain for Fendrel? If they approved of that, then how could they possibly be against Viserys setting aside Aegon? "
It so happens that I may have some small amount of influence over the outcome of that particular little skirmish."
He doesn't expect a response to that, perhaps a pleased expression? Unless they wanted him to stay out of it, of course.

[Reader]

A nod.

"
My lord husband has received word from the Kingdom's highest tower that the Bartheld succession has been decided, if Ser will forgive an old woman a leaden pun.

"
We are note to interfere."
There is a unconcealed edge to her voice.

"
Note Lord Davain Bartheld's... assistant? manservant? Whore? I cannot prove it, but I see his hand in this. Davain himself does not have the acumen for such maneuvers. Mark the boy Nathaniel, and mark him well."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
The clever boy would claim to be neither of these things, my lady."
Theomore smiles "
Merely a young man with the best interest of the smallfolk at heart, and I think I actually believe him."
A rare thing among those with noteworthy influence indeed, come to think of it, there is none besides his own nephew that springs to mind.

More clever than Theomore initially had believed, too. What if he were to grow ambitions? A most interesting thought!

"
I suppose a loyal knight of the realm ought to heed the wishes from on high?"
He didn't so much ask as make a conclusion. "
Perhaps his lordship has everything in good order, including this nasty business with Ser Benjen?"
His voice betraying a slight hope that this matter wasn't quite settled...what use would a good and loyal knight be if there were no grumps and snarkins to protect the innocent from?

[Reader]

"
Two matters of service already!"
The joy does not reach her eyes.

"
For the first, you know this boy well then? You would serve me well by alerting me to his plans and deeds in our correspondence, alongside the other matters we discussed. His friends, his status with that wild Roxton boy, all of it."


"
As to Ser Benjen - that splinter has not yet been excised. You will find favour if you can work it free without collateral damage - friendship should remain between Frey, Tully and Tullison, yet justice must be done."


"
Present your evidence to my Lord Husband on the tourney's final day before our guests depart [Day 8]. We shall make an end to it before Freys, Blackwoods and Brackens return home to the safety of their own walls, or worse yet, gather forces to satisfy their honour."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
If I find anything, my lady, one does not simply sway people of such high rank and leave breadcrump trails to follow..."
Theomore did not get the sense that Nathan had the sort of motivations that would leave trails. But then again, the boy could be a good pretender.

"
The furious frey"
Theo strokes his chin. "
It would be best, I think, if the man were to confess and be allowed take the black, though that seems rather unlikely."


"
The alternative would be him demanding trial by combat or letting my lord pass judgement as he sees fit, in the latter option, I think mayhaps it best to decree that the matter ought to be settled by the sword, though I suspect Ser Benjen will take that option regardless and that neither Tullison nor Blackwood faces him with blade in hand, no matter how the pieces fall."


"
Should he be defeated, under those circumstances, allowing him to regain his honor at the wall would be a clean solution to this, Freys cannot blame Blackwood or Tullison, and Blackwoods would be satisfied with the outcome. If he prevails, then I fear the wound may yet continue to fester."


"
I believe I can arrange for the Blackwoods to allow another champion to step forth, and I have a good rapport with Lord Forrest, so I think I can smooth things over with him, as well. But the missing component in this plan would be a man skilled enough to take on the furious frey...and win."

[Reader]

"
Ser Fredryk Vance has never steered me wrong and informs me there are several men present who are the better of Ser Benjen not just in character, but at feats of arms too. A man of your nature should have no issue finding a skilled glory-hound, but if not, my lord husband will find a suitable man. Your suggestion of the Wall is prudent and will help cool tempers."


"
As for young Nathaniel, I'd start with his background. Nobody with that accent ends up a whore without something curious happens. There are loose strings here - find them and pull on them."


"
Serve me well in these matters, and there will be no need for me to start employing singers to prattle on about unorthodox jousting techniques."


"
Goodnight Ser Theomore."


She moves to depart after any departing words.

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I shall give it my best efforts, my lady. Two dishes I should be able to serve, though I have a suspicion that I might require kitchens as rich as those of Harrenhaal to cook up the third one."
clever as the lady was, she would probably get his meaning. For certain, no kitchens were larger than those of that most accursed place, but the man that owned them was the master of learning secrets. And if Nathan indeed was from the Reach, then the ingredients he needed would require a long arm to get hold of.

[Reader]

She seems amused by Theomore's deft wordplay.

"
Two dishes shall suffice, with the third a charming surprise. I'd be a fool to turn away two courses for want of a third, when all around me can serve naught but dirt and old dishes stewed and reboiled."


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