The First of the heavens. (D1 LM)

[Yoren longshore]

As Yoren exits the hall he looks across the courtyard to see Lady Corrine on the other side. Not wanting to embarass her he walks up to her before telling her: "
What a pleasant surprise! How has your journey been Corrine, has the mountainclans stopped bothering you?"

Yoren smiles at her, knowing that the situation had gotten a lot better. "
How about a walk? I've been sitting for far too long..."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine turns, recognising Yoren's voice, and gives him a polite smile and nod in greeting;


"
Hello, Yoren. It is good to see you again. The clans have been subdued for at least a generation, so I would say that is a fine result. You seem well. How are things?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
They're good, though I suspect that my mood will be dampened as we start looking into the crimes committed..."
Yoren leaves the words in the air for a moment before continuing: "
I never got much time to see you as we fought the mountain clans... How is your child faring?"
With a genuinely conserned look in his eyes.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I too fear that these investigations will lead us down dark paths,"
Corrine agrees, with a worried look. "
But, we do as we must, to see justice done, and peace prevail."


She takes a deep breath, as though clearing the air of it's weight, and offers a more happy smile;


"
Bethany is fine. She is being cared for by a nurse at Hartshorn. These investigations are no place for an infant. I am sorry that there was not time to socialise during the campaign. Duty first. But we are grateful for House Longshore's contribution."

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren shakes his head: "
Just the desolation on the way here was overwhelming, this is no place for a child indeed... I hope we can mediate a friendship between the two of them, but I fear that the most we may do is an uneasy truce..."


"
Bethany is a nice name, who is she named after?"
With a smile he also asks: "
And can she expect company any time soon? We need more to be happy about as the darkness encroaches."


"
Next time I come your way we will have more time to talk."
He adds with a smile.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I just liked the name. She's not named after anyone, though it does give her the same initials as her father. I felt a bit wary of choosing a namesake. Too much scope for causing offense,"
she muses, with a light-hearted smile. "
We do intend to have more children, and rather sooner than later. I shall gladly introduce Bethany to you next time you are at Hartshorn."

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren smiles: "
I'll take you up on that promise, I'd love to see her."

Growing a bit more somber Yoren says: "
We will have to do our work swiftly and in full agreement, or I fear that young Benjicoot will never become old Benjicoot. Haigh seems like a good enough man, but I'd rather not put it to the test. Do you have any plans on how to work this out?"
Yoren smiles: "
We Longshores does not have what these situations needs."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
We will have to work quickly, yes. Benjicot Blackwood is still Ben's page, so we hope to shield him somewhat from unscrupulous influences, but there is only so much we can do while we are spread out like this. I fear you have read Lord Bracken wrong though. Good is not a word I would use to describe him. Our Houses have old links, but his morals are, in my mind, questionable. He isn't called The Beast of Bracken for nothing."

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren looks a little taken aback:
"
Is he your husbands warden? That certainly complicates the investigation, doesn't it? On the other hand it may be simpler to broker a peace, as we know that one of the sides will not start doing something... rash. That only leaves Lord Bracken. I have to admit that I know next to nothing about him. I know that he is ruthless, but the way he seemed to me is that he simply wishes his people well, regardless of the cost the Blackwoods have to pay. We should really look into all the circumstances around Benjicoots fathers death. First when all is on the table may we start to broker peace..."

Yoren then asks quite directly: "
Will your husband let his ties with Benjicoot make him partial to that side of the story? Both parties has done wrong, and it is your husband who has the ultimate say in who is indicted for what..."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine frowns;


"
I think you will find that it is I, not my husband, who is head of my house. And no, Benjicot being his page will not affect his judgement. We are in full agreement that we must be neutral in our dealings, and aim to foster peace with as little bloodshed and suffering as possible."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Of course, I don't think I could have managed to stay neutral, thats all, so I was surprised that the king would put Ben in that situation. Of course, I think he'll do amiably in his task, he was given it for a reason. Could it work to have a bracken child and Benjicoot both stay with Ben? They may then grow up to be friends, and the war will then for certain be over."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
I doubt that either party would countenance such a thing. I cannot comment until after I speak with both Houses."
Corrine replies, folding her arms and shrugging.

As capable as Ben is, I am the head of House Marsten, not him. Best not keep referring to him as though this is his task alone.

"
Have you investigated any of the scenes of these alleged crimes yet?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Good, I hope you can work something out between them that may ensure long time peace."
Smiling at her he continues:
"
Me and three of the men I brought are going to head out after we have packed out, Bracken allowed us to stay here for the next week. We will be going to investigate a place where bracken and blackwoods clashed, hopefully the people there can shed some light on the issue, who attacked and so forth."

Then he asks her: "
Where do you plan to go for the day? Which crime will you look into?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Ser Kevan and I intend to investigate the incidents that have occurred on Bracken lands first, while Ben looks into the matters on Blackwood lands. We have some leads to follow. I also intend to speak with the prominent members of House Bracken personally, to gauge their dispositions, and their side of each story. Then, I intend to rejoin Ben and discuss our findings. I also hope to speak with the Blackwoods, but we shall have to see how things transpire."

[Yoren longshore]

"
How's Kevan doing during all this? I know he's gotten promoted, does he seem happy with his new responsibility? I did not really get the time to talk to him, the campaign all became a blur to me..."

"
Shall we keep each other updated underway or do we wait until the final meeting? It may save a lot of legwork if we work together to investigate. Will free up more time to investigate deeper."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

He has taken to his role as Keeper very well. I could not ask for a finer bannerman,"
Corrine smiles. "
I am willing to share information, as long as it does not compromise House Marsten or it's goals."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Good, Kevan is about as tough as nails, so he's a good choice. Of course only if it doesn't compromise house Marsten, but I fail to see how any information learned here could do that, we're in this as a group. Any things that you can share will be appreciated, and we will of course return the favour. In this job we might need your assistance, we have brought eleven hard as nails men and myself, but I think that some more may be required if we meet any hostility."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Let us hope we do not have to do much peacekeeping, but we must be prepared for the worst."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and pray for success either way."
Yoren looks at her with a wry smile.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Exactly,"
Corrine nods. "
It was nice to see you again, Yoren, but I should go. Take care."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Keep safe."
Yoren turns around and walks towards the stables.

[/Scene?]

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine wanders away, considering taking a rest in her room, when she almost bumps into another familiar figure.

"
Oh! Athelstan! I'm sorry. Wasn't quite looking where I was going. I was just speaking with Yoren. I didn't realise you were here too,"
she babbles embarrassedly.

[Athelstan]

No surprises there he smiles "
Calm down Corrine, you bumped into me, not lord Bracken or someone important for it to matter that much"
he chuckles "
It's nice to see you"
and a small pause that feels eternal to Athelstan "
Well am.. what have you been up to all this time before you got here?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Good to see you too,"
Corrine replies politely, though feeling an awkwardness descend. "
I have been at Hartshorn, mostly. You know that we defeated the mountain clans. those who were left bent the knee and joined our smallfolk. That has not been without challenges, but it is going better than many of us feared. I visited Mountain's Reach, to introduce Lord Dunstan to a friend of mine, Lady Aofie Royce, with a view to seeing them marry. I had the honour of introducing Lord Kriegar to his new wife too, Lady Clayre, formerly of House Redfort."


She smiles and takes a sip of her drink, working up to what she fears may make things more awkward;


"
And, Ben &
I have a daughter now. Bethany."

[Athelstan]

Yes, I've heard from the men that went there to fight for your cause, we missed them while we defended our lands from lord Mallister's army that marched under the pretext of some honor bismirching and general feeling of being insulted that Lord Petyr and Ser Jaime lost to ironborn in any event we faced, and something about just because we are ironborn"
crossing his arms in front of his chest "
He is not walking for a few months after the trashing I gave him in front of his son and men, we forced them to negotiate and repair the damage they started causing to our lands"
chuckling "
That eagle is now featherless, hope to not see them in some time, or I'll be making the invading of their lands next time"


Raising an eye brown "
Good luck, let's hope lord Dunstan settles down with her, I presume you thought it well and it's a good match"


"
I've been doing a tourney or two, just getting some fame here and there after lord Mallister visit, nothing much really"
a big grin on his face 'So you've been busy then"
winking an eye "
It's a good name, she can call upon me like you can Corrine if she ever needs to"

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