[D7, LM] Marei's 7 Return (Open)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: An open thread for the gallant heroes to return and be welcomed by their supporters and loved ones]

An hour or so into the late morning a trumpet blows, heralding approaching riders. They are still good distance out from Riverrun, giving the welcoming party time to assemble at the edge of the pavilions.

Words spreads that seven riders lead the column of combined cavalry. As they grow closer, the call goes up that it is the Tullison party, returning triumphant.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

As word spreads through the pavilions, Corrine hears of the imminent return, and hurries out to greet them, hoping in particular to find Ben unharmed.

[Benedict Marsten]

Ellie stands at Corrine's side straining to make out who is who from this distance. "
Well there are seven riders. That is a good sign. I can not tell who they are from here."


She slides her small hand into Corrines and squeezes.


As the Seven grow closer to the gathered group, grooms and pages begin to move forward. Ben shades his eyes and peers hard into the confusion. Unable to find what he is looking for he slides from the saddle almost stumbling into Pudgy.

"
Whoah, there. Oh its you Pudgy. Here."
He hands Rose's reins to the boy. "
Have you seen Lady Corrine and Ellie?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine squeezes Ellie's hand back, and offers a tight smile.

As the riders grow near, she starts to move forward, craning to see better. She eventually sees that it is the party led by Dunstan, and she speeds up, still leading Ellie by the hand.

"
I see Dunstan in front! They were victorious!"
she exclaims excitedly. When she finally sees Ben ride up and dismount, she releases Ellie's hand to hold her skirts up a couple of inches, allowing her to stride faster, though resisting the unladylike temptation to break into a run.

"
Ellie! It's Ben! He's safe!"


She makes her way towards him, dodging pages and squires, as Ellie dashes ahead.

"
Ben!"
she calls out when she gets near.

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben was beginning to turn at the sound of his name, as Ellie plowed into him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. He was momentarily stunned and breathless.

He embraces her back when he recovers. Smiling down at her he speaks cheerfully, grateful to see his sister. "
Hello to you too Ellie. Where were you this morning when I awoke? And where is Lady Corrine?"


Her face buried in his chest she mumbles. "
With my Lady and she was right behind me."


He looks up quickly to see Corrine approaching as fast as lady-like. His crooked smile spreads across his stubbly face. His eyes shine with joy at watching her glide through the throng her dress hitched in her hands.

Gods if this is what I have to look forward to returning to then it will take an army to stop me from returning.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine beams with joy as she approaches, and throws her arms around Ben's neck and embracing him tightly.

You're safe! My Ben! My brave Ben!

"
Sorry, I know you only just got back, but we wanted to know as soon as possible that you were safe,"
she explains into his shoulder. "
Is it over? Did you get all of them? Is Dunstan's girl safe?"

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben place an arm around Corrine's waist leaving the other on Ellie. Exhaling deeply he speaks quietly. "
I am safe. Yes. We got all that were present. Marei is safe."


He pulls them both into him tightly. "
I am a very lucky man."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine laughs a little;


"
Yes. Yes, you are."


She lowers one arm to put on Ellie's shoulder, and they share their embrace between the three of them for a time. Eventually, Corrine leans up to plant a firm kiss on ben's lips.

"
And so are we,"
she adds, eyes shining.

"
You probably want to get out of your armour and so on, but will you return when you are free?"

[Benedict Marsten]

Ellie only squeezes harder and mumbles. "
Yes."


Ben swells a little when the kiss ends, feeling proud and blessed all at once. "
Yes. Yes of course. Where shall I find you?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Come to the Marsten pavilion. It's quiet there for the next little while, with the equestrian competition being underway,"
Corrine replies cheerfully. "
I can have some food and drink ready for us too."

[Baelon Drakeson]

Baelon rides into town looking scarcely more concerned than if he had been out for a casual morning ride. He looks around, seeing Ben's warm reception, and looks to see if there might be another, golden-haired Marsten in the crowd.

[Benedict Marsten]

"
Then I shall see you shortly. I am..."
His eyes brighten. "
... famished."
He takes Corrine's hand and kisses it lightly.

He takes Ellie's hand. "
Come, I will tell you all about how heroic everyone was. A minstrel may someday write about it."


Ellie's eyes light up. She did love a good story and a famous brother in a song would be terrific.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine walks with them, listening with a reserved smile, until their paths diverge, and she goes to her tent to prepare to receive Ben, pleased to find the Marsten pavilion peaceful, and without a certain domineering figure.

[/Corrine's part in the scene]

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

In the end, Gwyneth winds up following Baelon in rather than waiting for him. She'd found a spot up on a hill where she could see the area from afar...but underestimated how much faster horses were than people. By the time she got to the pavilion, Baelon and the others had already gotten there, but not by much.

When she saw Baelon scanning the tents for her, she laughed and gave a sharp whistle.

"
Over here!"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Ser Jorah arrived at the head of a column of cavalry and a cart carrying prisoners and a body covered in a blanket.

[Baelon Drakeson]

With a smile, Baelon rides over to Gwyn and pulls her up onto his horse with him.
"
I love you"
He whispers, his lips ever so gently brushing against her ear.
Raising an arm towards Dunstan in a gesture that is half-wave and half-salute, he turns his horse and rides to his tent.

Dismounting and helping Gwyn down, he hands Velox' reigns to a groom that comes hurrying over.
I really should get a squire.
Entering his tent, he ties the door flap open - Gwyn had been the subject of enough rumors, and he wasn't about to carelessly add more... but he ties it loosely so that Gwyn can easily untie it if she decides she wants more privacy.

He speaks while he remove his armor and gambeson, stripping down to just the simple leather pants he wears under his armor.
"
Well, that's over, and with no serious injuries on our side. Most of us, myself included, were completely unharmed. Darry brought extra men, but they were still no match for us. Dunstan signaled our reserves, but it was over before our squires and attendants could even climb the hill. I take it nothing untoward happened while we were gone?"


He grabs a nearby shirt - it is the same one that Gwyn threw at him the previous night, though Baelon seems either not to notice or not to care.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
No, there was nothing happening here."


She comes up behind him and puts her hand against the curve of his back. Not to stroke or tickle, but more as if to simply reassure herself of his solidity. Not wanting to interrupt him, Gwyn waits for him to get the shirt on before embracing him from behind with sudden ferocity and burying her face against that same spot on his back.

A moment later she's obliged to loosen her grip so Baelon can inhale properly. But all the while, a cold little cog in the back of her head is ticking away.

So...either this was just Lionel, and perhaps whatever's left of the Faith Militant aiding him, or whoever's hand is behind this is simply being cautious. I have to know, and there's only one expedient way to find out.

"
I want to help question him,"
Gwyn says. "
I...have an idea."

[Baelon Drakeson]

Turning around in her arms, Baelon puts his arms around her as well and buries his face in her hair for a few moments, then raises his head to respond.
"
That will be difficult... Darry did not survive. Ser Jorah challenged him to single combat, and Darry would not yield."


[OOC more info to follow once I get the results of the field interrogation in the M7 thread]

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dunstan rode behind everybody, completely alone. His arm was still hurting badly, but little did he care. Marei was sent home, this time with Ser Matther and all the scouts.
He felt disinterested in everything, angry and in need of a good vengeance above all things.
Seeing two happy couples smiling at each other only increased the bitterness. That battle felt very good and he wanted more of that, aimed at the people responsible for striking on his own.

Next best thing was inside the tent, so he removed the armor hastily, took a seat on front of his tent and poured two goblets of wine, one for him and one for Lean Paul. They looked at each other and nodded without words and drank.

[Jon Cobb]

She rides well, like she was born to it. Which, of course, she probably was, being a noblewoman and all, Jon thought, his eyes once again drifting to where Dyana rode in the column. And not a word or a look my way all the way back. Has Daveth already won her over? Am I fighting for a lost cause again? Sighing inwardly, Jon peels off from the troop as they near the pavilions.

No one watching for you, no one waiting for you. What did you expect, Wrecker? Flowers and a parade? You know better than that. That's for the highborn, not a fake from Flea Bottom. A short while later, the Painted World looms up ahead. Gods, but I'm hungry. Breakfast - that'll set me right. Breakfast...and a fuck.

[Dyana Marsten]

Dyana arrives silently, making for the Marsten pavillions without barely sparing a glance to anyone else riding along.

Lost in her musings, she almost fails to notice her sister and cousin, to whom she nods briefly before continuing along.

A sizable amount of soldiers trail behind her.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Turning around in her arms, Baelon puts his arms around her as well and buries his face in her hair for a few moments, then raises his head to respond.
"
That will be difficult... Darry did not survive. Ser Jorah challenged him to single combat, and Darry would not yield."

"
What?!"
Anger flashed over Gwyn's face, anger masking a stab of fear. "
Then we won't be able to... This could happen again, Baelon!"


She took a deep breath, then frowned a little.

"
Ser Jorah, you say. Of House Coldbrook."
Gwyn was silent for a breath, then quickly asked, "
Did you see the fight? Was the finishing blow...did he have to kill him, or want to kill him?"

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
I saw most of it, and while I don't doubt that Ser Jorah was glad to see Darry die, he wanted it to be on a chopping block, not an 'honorable' death in combat. Darry seemed to want to die. By then his best knights had been summarily defeated, and he likely knew that his death was inevitable."


Baelon sighs.

"
We took as many of his knights captive as we could for questioning, so all hope is not lost."

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Ser Jorah looked for some Tully soldiers and rode over to the most senior he could see.

"
Sergeant, we brought back prisoners of the Faith Militant, who have blighted the Riverlands. Can we place them in Riverrun's dungeons?"

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