[D7,EE]The Council of Ravens

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth was praying in the godswood at Raventree hall.

So...now what? Did I do good here? Will there be peace, at least for a time? Did I do better here than Garret would have done? he gently rests his forehead against a tree. Last time we spoke in a proper godswood, you gave me the inspiration that gave us House Drakeson. They've been a boon indeed. But they also came with a test. Lady Dyana or my duty to my house. While my duty must always come first, I still can't help but feel that I really screwed things up, there. Did I? Was I right? I do need to get married, but I feel crippled by the fear that I'll just repeat the same mistakes over and over, as seems to be a feature of this valley.

Please. I try and be strong. I try and do what's right. I try and do my duty. Please, give me some sign that I'm on the right path, here. He opens his eyes, and looks up at the ravens gathering in the branches. If you carry wisdom to those of Blackwood blood, as rumours say, then I'll gladly take what you have to offer as well. He listens carefully, but hears nothing but rustling leaves, the caw of ravens ... and the quiet sound of someone approaching.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Lady Corrine's soft footsteps lightly rustle the grass and leaves as she walks toward Daveth, cautiously. She pauses several paces away, and gives a small curtsey.

"
My Lord Daveth. We seem to have had the same idea. Seeking the Gods' guidance?"

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth stands and bows. "
My Lady Corrine."
he looks back towards the tree he was leaning against. "
Indeed. Though I think I seek their peace as much as I do their guidance. There's something about this place,"
he looks towards the burnt weirwood "
and I don't mean this building, I mean the whole valley, that's unsettling to me. There's a history here that's long and painful, blood steeped into the very air. It feels like History has this place clutched in an inescapable grip, dragging them down into more misery and pain.

"
And I fear that, had I made ... different choices. Had I lacked the will to see them though. I would be in an all-too-similar fate."
he looks down, and shakes his head. "
I'm sorry. This is why I seek this place out, so I don't spout morbid c- nonsense like that."
he gives a small smile. "
You should be celebrating your achievement. It may not be perfect, but nothing ever is, and you did far better than your detractors would hope. Enjoy the thought of them choking on their own bile as they read the missive of the situation here."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Thank you, Daveth. You are kind to say that. Hopefully our good intent will prevail, and bring some good out of this mess."


She too looks at the burnt heart tree.

"
I agree, it is a melancholy place. Half a millenia of suffering has imbued the land itself with sorrow. Just as the same strife has made Stone Hedge hard and unforgiving."


She moves closer to Daveth, giving him a sympathetic look.

"
I understand the difficulty in questioning one's decisions. I think it is probably natural to feel that way, being young and suddenly thrust into responsibility. You can talk to me about it, if you wish. As I have said before, you are my friend. I will never judge you. I will try to help, if I can."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

"
I..."
he hesitates and looks down before looking up and continuing. "
I feel like I owe you an apology. And others, maybe. But I feel like I took your family away from you."
he waves a hand. "
Sure, you see Lady Gwyneth fairly regularly, and she's doing well, as you can see - she's taken to running a house with ease. But she's not beside you, supporting you. And as for Lady Dyana ... yes, her father meant-means the world to her. And yes, with the threat of the clans dealt with, at least for the time being, she was free to leave. But you and many others at Hartshorn matter greatly to her as well. And I can't help but feel that if I hadn't ... interfered, she'd still be there. A strong shield on your left side, to match your husband's on your right.

"
I never meant to do harm. I meant to be honourable. I meant to simply do what was best for my house. But somehow, the consequences ... spun out of control.

"
And now, this ... grudge Yoren holds towards Lord Baelon. I was *there* at the mines. Baelon is *my* bannerman, my friend. If anyone should have seen what was coming, and stopped it, it should have been me. But I didn't. Weapons were out, and I just froze. Garret wouldn't have done - he's comfortable around people and violence. He has his flaws, but he'd have stepped forward, and calmed the situation down, turned it to his advantage. You didn't see him at his best - when he is, he's a natural leader."


He sighs and shakes his head. "
Sorry, I know I'm rambling. I just feel like, though action or inaction, despite my best of intentions, I just keep hurting my friends. And now I'm second-guessing everything, which is a sure road to disaster."
he shakes his head again. "
Sorry."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine listens to him fully, but, when he is finished, she just puts her arms around him and envelops him in a warm, sisterly embrace.

"
My dear Daveth, shush. You do not need to apologise for any of that. I bear no grudge against you. You have never wronged me, as far as I am concerned."


She pulls back and smiles at him, though her eyes are a little glassy from emotion.

"
Gwyn, Dyana, and Baelon have long been dear to me, but they have their own lives to lead. It was childish of me to cling to them. In hindsight, had Gwyn &
Baelon not accepted your offer, I doubt I'd have held them long myself anyway. They were large fish in a small pond. I'd have only stifled them eventually. I think... I think I just felt upset because them leaving brought back feelings of loss that I still carried from before. From when I lost my father and brother... The brother I knew, at any rate. I was afraid of feeling alone again. Especially with the way my mother is."


She squeezes his shoulder, her tone brightening.

"
But, I am dealing with that, and I know that it is not anyone's wrongdoing. I am happy that those I love are doing what they want to do. And I still have my new family, whom I would not trade for all the gold in Casterly Rock. In a way, my cousins leaving forced me to start learning to be less dependent. The Gods challenge us in many ways that we don't always understand at the time.

As for the mines, do not flagellate yourself over that. It was very unfortunate, but those two made their own choices. We cannot know if Garret would have changed anything. I am sure he is a good man, but I don't think either Baelon or Athelstan would have listened to him any more than they would you or I. Yoren may dislike us both and Baelon too for what happened, but he was not there. I doubt he could have done any better, and his own decisions are suspect too. He did not keep Athelstan in line. That is his problem. Perhaps he will calm, in time, but regardless, to beat ourselves for not averting the incident is like beating ourselves for not stopping a whirlwind."


She offers him a smile, tinged with sadness.

"
You are doing your best. I see that. And you're doing better than you think. I know how hard it has been for you, putting duty first. I understand completely. So, please don't worry that I'm begrudging how things went with Dyana. I do not hold it against you. Sometimes we cannot make our plans work, and it can be frustrating and sad, but we can always make new plans. And I will say the same to you as I said to her;
I will help you with those new plans if I can, because I care about you."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth gratefully accepts the hug, and listens to her response, nodding occasionally. More confidently when she suggests the gods challenge them, less so when she advises him to not blame himself over the mine incident, but he does nod.

When she makes her offer, he considers before answering. "
There is something, perhaps, I should seek your advice on. But to give good advice, I need to share some personal history. I trust I have your discretion in this matter."
he looks and listens around them to make sure they're alone. "
This is not my first time here. My mother's a Blackwood. A distant branch of the tree, but a Blackwood. When my birth father died, she had to move back to Blackwood lands. Due to ... various reasons, none of which were her fault, she was not easily re-marriageable. I was young back then. But I understood what was going well enough. My mother was not wanted here, and I ... was a liability. Yet another reason for her suit to be denied. She always defended me. I don't know but I suspect ... there were those who'd planned out a neat little accident for me. For the good of the house. And then, my father came along, and accepted both of us into his family.

"
I know that people criticise my father - he was born a commoner, was a solider, and lacks many 'lordly' traits. But that he would accept a weakling scholar he didn't understand into his family;
and later accept that very same man to be his heir, over his own flesh and blood, speaks volumes as to his nobility and strength of character."


He shakes his head. "
Sorry, I'm getting distracted. The point I want to get across is that while House Blackwood is family, the relationship is ... complicated. Back when my mother still had her spirit, she enjoyed making trouble for House Blackwood. Nothing serious, just tweaking their nose. Reminding them that she still remembered how they treated her. Us."


He takes a deep breath. "
So, why is that relevant? I do need to get married. I need the support, the house needs the skills and connections. The skills I lack are martial, the connections we need are to influential houses, who can grant House Coldbrook a degree of ... legitimacy that we largely lack so far. But, after the loss of Joren, the marriage also has to unify and heal the family. Help us all to move on.

"
I'm not sure how much attention you pay to rumours, but there was one about my ... actions during the wildfire attack on the Green Door Inn. My reputation was defended by Lady Alysane Blackwood. A martial Lady from a prestigious house. Not one I'd met. She had no obligation to defend me, yet she did, and having looked into her a bit, it seems it was entirely sincere. That ... says a lot of good things about her character.

"
Even aside from the issue of tying my House's future to the madness of this region, I'm sure you can tell there are other issues, and this is before I even meet her. Still, she could be very good for us. If, of course, the Blackwoods would be willing. But then, my doubts take hold, and I start doubting everything."


He sighs. "
So. You have something of a reputation as a matchmaker. While I'd not do anything immediately, to avoid the appearance of impropriety, what do your matchmaking instincts tell you? A suitable match, or a twisted ball of future disaster, doomed to failure?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine thinks for several moments.

"
First, I want to thank you for trusting me with this. It takes courage to express one's vulnerability, and I swear to you that I shall keep what you have told me between us. Secondly, I am glad you are looking to move forward and secure House Coldbrook's future. Your adoptive father seems to me like a good man, and I believe you will lead with the same admirable sensitivity and lack of pretention he has. While not a commoner himself, Ben too went through an elevation to Lordship, so I think it's safe to say I approve."


She taps her chin thoughtfully.

"
And thirdly, I do not know Lady Alyssane personally, though I have heard enough about her to know I am interested in learning more. I generally approve of strong, self-actualised women, which I'm sure is no surprise to anyone. I cannot say how well-matched you two would be, on my current knowledge. But, if you'll give me some time, and can stay in the area tomorrow, I can meet with her for a friendly chat. I shall get an idea of her character and her notions of her future. Then, I shall meet with you again, to discuss my findings. If she strikes me as completely unsuitable, I do know several eligible young ladies in the Vale too, so even if Lady Alyssane is not right, there are other options."


A sweet little smile curls the corners of her mouth.

"
I confess I rather enjoy matchmaking. It feels like, in a world like this, helping to build future happiness is important. It was I who introduced Lord Tullison to his wife, Lady Aofie Royce, and Lord Kriegar is very happily married to Lady Clayre Redfort, whom I also introduced."


She seems genuinely proud to have aided two marriages. Not in a grasping, socialite way, but like the potential of love and romance buoys her spirit.

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth nods. "
I thank you. I'll take you up on that offer, and wait to hear back from you."


He sighs. "
There is ... one additional problem which I should perhaps inform you of. Until a year ago, we were sworn to the Starks, but our lands were in Tully lands. This was not really a comfortable situation. So, we had to make a deal with Lord Tully for him to cede our land to the Starks. The best price I could get involved agreeing that my heir, once they reached fostering age, would be fostered at Riverrun. Practicality demands that I not lead off with this. Honesty demands that a potential wife know this before things become serious.

"
I'm not sure how useful that information is, but if she happens to have a deep-seated hatred of Lord Tully, that's potentially something of an issue."


He nods. "
Thank you for your help in this. Someone with your reputation helping House Coldbrook is a significant boon to us."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine nods solemnly.

"
That is certainly a factor to keep in mind. Thank you for telling me. It does you credit that you want to be honest and considerate. As you say, not a thing to lead with, but definitely a subject to broach before betrothal."


She offers Daveth an encouraging smile.

"
I'll do my best to keep you right."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth smiles back. "
I look forward to hearing from you on the morrow."


His smile becomes slightly more relaxed. "
On a different subject, tell me: you implied you came here to seek the gods' guidance. Has your dear husband 'corrupted' you into following our gods?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine laughs lightly.

"
I would not use that word, personally, though some might see it so. I was raised in the Faith, and I remain The Seven's servant. But now, in respect for my husband, I also keep the Old Gods, and I will raise our children to do the same, to reflect both their parents' heritage. After all, Ben was raised in the Old Ways, yet his knightly vows were to The Seven. I don't see the two faiths as incompatible. Living as good a life as one can is more important than who one prays to, I think."

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth nods. "
I've spoken with your Lord husband about that very subject, actually. It is ... a much more straightforward faith than that of the Seven."
a small smile. "
I'm glad to see you getting something from it."


He looks around the wood. "
Speaking of, we should both get to our prayers. Our gods may be patient, but time is not."
he bows. "
Until the morrow, Lady Corrine."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"
Until tomorrow, my lord Daveth,"
Corrine replies, with a little bob of a curtsey and a knowing smile.

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