The Fleetest Fleet (Drakeson/Marsten/Blackthornes)

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyneth was a bit of a nervous wreck the first several days of the journey away from Caladan Hall, constantly fretting about all the things that she'd had to leave to others to do. It wasn't that bad before, when she'd visited the Riverlands. Baelon had been there that time after all. But once they were far enough away that going back was simply not possible, she calmed down. The course committed to, the bridge burned, she focused on the path ahead.

From there, the journey went by much quicker for both of them.

Finally they crested the rocky road and spied Hartshorn ahead in the distance for the first time. Gwyn smiled on seeing it, but when Baelon asked if she was feeling nostalgic, she shook her head.

"
Just the opposite,"
she said. "
It feels like...not home."
There was some relief in her voice, of some uncommented-on anxiety evaporating.

Gwyn wouldn't be staying long, of course. Baelon would be joining the preparations for the upcoming war, and then serving with the Drakeson troops that arrayed out in their wake. She was visiting family and friends left behind, and...as if that wasn't enough...planning on taking part in Baelon's talks with Ben's parents as well. Hearing they'd be there was all it took to get her to decide to come along.

House Drakeson was going to need ships very soon, and ships to protect those ships. The Blackthornes were in a position to be of help, if they could be convinced of the profits of doing so.

At the gates of Hartshorn the guard called down, and they identified themselves. With rattling creaks and the grinding of massive chains, the gates opened and the Drakesons came marching in.

[Baelon Drakeson]

Baelon smiles at Gwyn's comment. He had hoped that she would not feel too much sorrow from departing her life-long home, but it was good to hear her confirm it.

He gestures and the twenty plate-bound knights following them form up into parade formation, the horses - as expertly trained as the men who rode them - in a unified rhythmic passage, their hoof beats ringing out in unison. It was showy, but the kind of showiness that demonstrated expertise, not cheap flashiness and theatrics.

As they enter the gate, Baelon waves to many of the Marsten men-at-arms that he knew, noting the presence of new faces.

I see they've been recruiting in advance of the assault. That's good.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine strides out to greet them with a warm smile;


"
Gwyn! Baelon! Welcome back!"

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyneth quickly swings herself out of her saddle on onto the ground where she runs out to meet Corrine.

"
Cousin! You've no idea how I've missed you."


She takes hold of Corrine's arm and falls in alongside her.

"
There's so much to talk about! I hardly even know where to begin! And look at you!"


Gwyn patted Corrine's belly proudly. "
And don't think I haven't noticed all the soldiers hanging about. You must have some of them dangling from the rafters to make room for them all in the barracks!"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine giggled shyly, squeezing Gwyn's hand.

"
I missed you too, Gwyn. We're not wasting time in getting our forces together. We will be launching our campaign very soon. Captain &
Lady Blackthorne have been visiting, and Ellie is back from her three months with House Kriegar. Despite the rallying of so many men, things are rather cheerful here right now. Even Mother is happy. News of an impending grandchild seems to have melted some of her ice,"
Corrine joked.

"
What about yourself? Will there be a little Drakeson in your future?"

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

(OOC - I'll assume you meant Blackthorne. )

"
Your mother is happy? Madness. You'll tell me the mountain has slid into the sea next."


Gwyneth laughed and shook her head. "
There will as many Drakesons as these hips can bear...but Baelon and I have been focusing on making a House to give them beforehand. I've made trade agreements with Lord Tully of all people, and some others in his lands. Our town's growing like a weed, and just like weeds there's all manner of work to go along with it."
She took a deep breath and beamed at Corrine.

"
...and I love it. Even when I want to scream at someone, or curse the stones we build on, I love it. We are carving our names into world and I wouldn't trade a thing for it."


She gave her cousin a sudden grin. "
I have a few tidbits to tempt you with as well. Words that have reached my ear. Later, of course. When we have a private moment."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: Oops, yes. I've fixed it. Thanks!]

"
That makes sense. I hear you two are building solid foundations for your house. I'm glad you are finding the challenge rewarding. And, when the time comes, your family will be all the better off, I'm certain,"
Corrine beams joyfully.

"
Tidbits, you say? Intriguing! I look forward to hearing those! Come, let's get you all in and settled. I'll send for food &
good wine. Ben will be delighted to see you both, I'm sure. He's been strutting around like a prize peacock since I gave him and our parents the news."

[Baelon Drakeson]

Baelon dismounts, handing Velox' reins to a groom.

"
How kind of you to greet us with such hospitality, dear cousin."
Baelon says with a broad, pleased smile belying the mock formality of his statement.
"
It is good to see that Harsthorn has fared well these past months."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Baelon dismounts, handing Velox' reins to a groom.

"
How kind of you to greet us with such hospitality, dear cousin."
Baelon says with a broad, pleased smile belying the mock formality of his statement.
"
It is good to see that Harsthorn has fared well these past months."

"
Well, it hasn't crumbled to dust yet, as some feared,"
Corrine chuckles wryly. "
But of course, we are on the verge of a considerable challenge. I am glad you are here to aid us,"
she adds, with a genuinely warm smile.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
Just take good care of him,"
Gwyn says. She's smiling, but there's a seriousness in her eyes...a deep concern that swims in them and belies the lightness of her tone. "
I will need him returned in good condition."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
We shall do all we can to ensure he is returned to you as he arrived,"
Corrine agrees, her tone similarly light, but with a sincere look.

After getting everyone settled, Corrine brought the Drakesons and Blackthornes together over food and wine in the great hall.

[Benedict Marsten]

The Blackthornes are seated at the table upon the Drakesons arrival. The captain whispering in his Lady's ear. Her hands busy smacking at his under the table. Ben stands behind his chair discussing something with Willum and Benjicott, fully distracted.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn steps a little faster on seeing them, releasing Corrine's arm to do so.

"
Captain Blackthorne, Lady Blackthorne,"
she greets with ferocious cheer, "
It's so good to finally meet you. I've heard stories from Bennedict of course..."
she gives him a mischevous smile, "
...but it's so rare to meet men and women of the sea on the peak of a mountain."


It was a bit of a breach in protocol to speak before being introduced, but a forgiveable one, and Gwyneth wanted to see how they reacted. Would they be insistent on formality, or appreciate a more freewheeling approach?

[Benedict Marsten]

The Captain stands with a seriousness. "
Well I have been thinking of relocating. As it appears the woman this mountain grows are among the most beautiful in the world."
A familiar crooked grin and a quick wink follow.

Lady Sara rises and gives her husband a slap on the shoulder. "
Be have yourself Karris. Greetings Lady Drakeson."


Her easy smile drops slightly at Gwyns mention of Ben, as she cast a quick glance to him. "
Yes Ellien has told us much of you as well, my lady. It is a pleasure to meet you."


Ben only smiles politely back to both woman.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Please, everyone be seated. Food and drink will be brought shortly,"
Corrine says, cheerily, gesturing to the table, and wandering over to her husband's side, giving his hand a little squeeze before taking her seat.

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
Captain Blackthorne - "
He takes the oder man's hand in a firm, respectful handshake "
may I call you Karris? I take no small amount of pleasure in having discovered the secret to having the best of both worlds - marry a beautiful mountain lass and take her to live by the sea. Truly, the only flaw of living here in Hartshorn was being so far from the smell of salt water."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Beaming at the compliments, Gwyneth finds a seat across from the Blackthornes and sits down.

"
Agreed. The sea offers a great many opportunities, as I know you're both aware. Lord Baelon and I intend to take full advantage of them...and with that in mind, we'd like to discuss a proposition with you."

[Benedict Marsten]

Karris squeezes back taking appraisal of the well known, knight. "
Certainly if I may do so in kind, lad? That seems a practical idea. As for the smell, after a little over a half a century or so and it will be in your blood and you will smell it where ever you may be."


Curtsying to Baelon Lady Sara nods in agreement. "
Its the truth. There is little one can do to mask it. Though it is more agreeable then manure."


Karris gives Gwyn another devilish grin. "
Ah, good right to the point. Another fine quality. Your husband is indeed a lucky man."

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
Of course. Please, call me Baelon. I see no need to stand on formality here - we are all good-family, are we not?"


Baelon stands behind Gwyn, his hands affectionately on her shoulders.
"
I am indeed fortunate to have a wife as intelligent and hard working as she is beautiful - House Drakeson would not be half of what it is today without her."


He takes a seat beside his wife, across from Lady Sara.
"
As Gwyn has alluded, while our purpose here is primarily to visit and to assist with the Mountain Clan situation, we had been hoping to speak with you about a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Our lands are coastal, on the western coast of the Bite. Not far by ship from your own, from what I understand. While this is a significant asset, it is also a vulnerability. In fact, we have already had to fend off one assault from the sea - Lyseni pirates, striking at what looked to be an undefended target. They were handily defeated when they came ashore, but not before they did some damage to the port we are constructing and the surrounding town.

We are a young house, and while we have received generous support from our liege, Lord Coldbrook, they are a landlocked house and have no navy to speak of. What we need, in the short-term, is a naval presence to patrol our waters until we can develop our own coastal guard. That is how you can benefit us. We, on the other hand, can benefit you by paying you for maintaining such a presence. Easy money, as the mere presence of Blackthorne ships would scare off those looking simply for easy pickings.

Further, as I mentioned, we are constructing a port. We are ideally located to serve as a merchant's paradise - in addition to our sea access, the Kingsroad passes along the western edge of our lands. Thus House Drakeson will serve as the ideal mercantile intersection between goods from northern Essos, the western half of the North, and the Riverlands. Now, we do not intend to be merchants ourselves, but rather to generate our income by providing services to the merchants that make use of our facilities. Port fees, secure warehousing, merchant's inns, perhaps even shipyards or drydocks, if we can attract the right sorts of skilled individuals.

So, we will clearly need to attract merchants. We've already made a few contacts, but if you were willing to - when the infrastructure is complete - make House Drakeson the exclusive Westerosi port of call for Blackthorne mercantile ships bringing cargo in from Essos, we would be quite happy to offer you significant discounts on those services. When other merchants hear of your success, they will naturally want a piece of the profits themselves, and as they come to do business, we will fill our coffers with their coin."


He smiles.

"
Of course there would be details to hammer out, but in the broad terms, are you interested?"

[Benedict Marsten]

Karris moves to his chair and seats his wife, before himself. He nods, drinks, shifts his weight, takes another drink and finally streches as Baelon finishes.

"
Well, Baelon, you could have led with the coin part and saved yourself some wind. We are interested."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn chuckles and gives Baelon an amused look for a moment.

"
In this case, the coin is the the lesser of the rewards this arrangement stands to offer over the longer term, but it is where we begin. So lets begin with ships. I have a map of our coast and harbor..."
She pulls a roll of parchment from her pouch and spreads it over the table. "
We have a commanding view, but no siege engines at present...so while we can see ships coming, we cannot oppose them until they're already landing men. As an experience naval commander, what would you see as appropriate to defend this harbor?"


"
Bearing in mind that at present, we have not been truly hard hit...but as our business grows, so too will the lengths pirates will go to."

[Benedict Marsten]

"
I have sailed the Bite for three decades. I am familiar with yer spot."
He rises just the same to scan the map.

His face becomes a mask of concentration. "
If ships is what we're talking, a hand full of heavily armed ships. That'll hold ya tell ya can get some flingers. You have a warning system in place? Like you said ya can see them coming, but a quick and loud alarm can help deploy your ships and makes some pirates get second thoughts."


His finger hovers over the map, tapping a few spots and mumbling to himself.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

"
We have lookouts,"
agrees Gwyn. "
And plans for some kind of tower with a man on top with a spyglass and a horn. That's going up with the port though. I think having some kind of lookout on the cliffs overlooking the harbor would be good as well, though it's harder to make a warning heard from that far."


She glances sidelong at Baelon, then adds, "
I have some ideas for defenses as well, that would take advantage of the elevation of the coast. But that would have to wait until we have catapults."


"
So yes, for now we'd need ships to protect the harbor. Once the port is complete, we'd also want to provide our own ships with armed escort."

[Baelon Drakeson]

"
Fires. Signal fires. The port and the ships could see them from quite a ways off. Maybe talk with our maester to see if he has any tricks for making them more visible - colors, or something."

He grimaces, but the light seems to flicker in his eyes like candles.
"
Also, instead of catapults, scorpions - with flaming shots. Set a few enemy ships on fire and the rest will think twice about trying to land."

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn laughs and puts her hand on Baelon's, with just enough pressure that she hopes he'll get the hint, and says to the Blackthornes, "
As you can see, we've no shortage of ideas and passion. What we lack is the voice of experience. You come highly recommended, by sources we trust, so we've come to you first."


"
What do you think so far?"

[Sponsored content]