Maintaining Friendships

[Theomore Tullison]

Lord Dunstan was slow in coming, Theomore, however, was among the first to arrive. Be late to the table and your selection will be the leftovers. Besides, so many people would be here that he would like to share words with. How else could he find the time for all of them?

The first of these would be Yoren, whom Theomore had invited for a little informal breakfast to start the day. A rational man (perhaps not in matters concerning the Coldbrooks), reasonable to deal with, and not likely to have any designs of his own regarding the marker, unlike all the rest, Theomore suspects. As good a man as any to share the beginning of what was like to be the first of several long days to come.

[Yoren longshore]

"
Theomore!"
Yoren seems well content as he brushes through the door. His attire is cheap and without much flourish, but he tries to make up for it with a crude piece of jewelry that betrays his wealth, as well as his bad taste of fashion.

Once he is seated he asks simply: "
What did you want to talk to me about?"

[Theomore Tullison]

Theomore stands up as is his custom, offering his hand in greeting before gesturing towards the chair that had been prepared. "
It is good to see you, my friend."


He feigns disappointment at the blunt question, Theomore does not mind, but where was the fun in that? "
I had thought to cover other topics of interest before touching on the reason why we are all together, again. Considering how that went last time, I am not sure how pleasant that subject will be."
His eyes flicker over Yoren's apparel. "
I hope your quest to find a lady Longshore looks like it might bear fruit?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
With your help I have done well."
Yoren smiles before adding: "
Now my father may rest assured in that at least."

"
What have you been up to sincei last saw you? Did the trial go well?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
That is indeed good to hear, there has been much too many conflicts as of late, the business with Black and Bracken and what followed not included, the adventures down in Wyl, Vaemond Velaryon, well you do know about those, yes? There's brewing trouble between Wayfarer's rest and Pinkmaiden as well, some duel over a lady that ignited another rivalry, the Riverlands are so full of old grudges that merely looking at your neighbor the wrong way might make him remember some slight your great-grandfather did against his."
Theomore shrugs at that before returning back to being happy for Yoren's success, caring little and less about the antics of Riverlords. "
Reconciling Longshore and Mallister before that rivalry could fester might have done more good than we could ever hope to accomplish between Stone Hedge and Raventree a year back. And I do so enjoy weddings."


"
The trial went as well as I could have hoped for I would say, I am sure some were disappointed, but my name was cleared and my house and family remained unaffected, nor did I have to go places where only the most vicious of lords and ladies would have liked this to go in order to properly defend myself. And after this, I have been rather occupied with several things, Dornish adventures, marrying, being a good landed knight and clean up Ser Benjen's mess so that the Twins may receive even more tithes, and better troops to march under it's banners, attending weddings and tourneys, won some glory, getting unlucky in the draw at other times."


"
So it's all much like the usual me, really, except of course."
Theo adds a proud grin. "
I settled down with a lovely wife that now happens to be thick with child."

[Yoren longshore]

"
You are to become a father?"
Yoren asks.

"
Getting settled with a family is always a worthy endevour, even when some wretches might whisper that you are too old to start such a long lasting endevour. Where are you and your wife getting settled? is it close to Tullison land?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Hah! I am three years older than his grace when he married Queen Alicent."
Theomore cheerily objects. "
I should like to see the man who would suggest that I am too old when the king himself sired little princes at a more advanced age."


"
It would take two or three days to ride to Mountain's Reach by a small group traveling light, I could probably make it in a day on my own if I bring my best two horses and alternate between them."

[Yoren longshore]

"
I'd say that living but a days ride from your childhoods fields is a blessing. Regardless of where you are, the places you visited as a child will always be those dearest to your heart. As we grow old our visions dims, and the world starts to seem bleak, however, revisiting what you saw as a child may often bring out again the vividness we all so fondly remember."

Yoren stops himself: "
Forgive me, I rant... what do you think. Was there another reason to chose lands in such close proximity to your old home?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
More a matter of circumstance, I think, it so happened that Ser Benjen left lands distant enough from the Twins that Lord Frey requires someone to hold it in his name, and I suppose it is beneficial to have a man there that can call upon kin from Mountain's Reach should it prove to be necessary."
Theomore gives a shrug. "
The singers will proclaim it a marriage of love, and they would not be entirely wrong"
Half wrong. "
They always omit the part about politics, however, though the location of the lands did not factor among the chief reasons for the choice, at least as far as it being mine."

[Yoren longshore]

"
A song of politics is a dull song indeed. much rather I'd like to hear of damsels in distress, or dragons in flight. Stories of bewitched knights, of flying horses suits people well."
Indicating at Theomore he adds: "
Seeing a dashing honorable knight joust, before finding a dazzling wife is soil for stories, but an hour spent listening to the political realities of a minor bannerknight is not something any minstrel would like to sing."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, if he could summarize the affair in a catchy tune, mayhaps a lord would prefer it to a report as bereft of color as the hair of the maester that wrote it?"
Theomore offers with a grin. "
What occurs in the solars of lords and knights makes for rather dreary entertainment, and yet, we desire a peek into the secrets found therein, but no minstrel liking his head where it is would ever sing such a song."


"
A pity, I do so like that genre, but in it's absence, we have a new game to play, I am not entirely sure as to what to think of the board, though."

[Yoren longshore]

"
I must say that regardless of what game you see here, you need to remember that this is more than a game. Local people may have to pay dearly if we fail to realise that."
Yoren is pausing for a moment to let the words sink in before he switches to a more concrete question:
"
Have you given any thought to who you wish to support here? Do you wish to support the Barthelds or the Marstens?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Are those two the only options?"
Theomore gives Yoren a quizzical look. "
There are six houses here, and at least four of them may well have the inclination to make a bid for having a horse and rider in the joust with the grandest prize that I can remember being put forth for the winner to claim."


"
Though it would seem rather likely to my eyes that House Tullison stands more to gain should House Marsten win such a pairing if it were against House Bartheld."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Six houses, but significantly fewer options."

Yoren counts on his fingers: "
We have Longshore, who openly supports Marsten claims. We have Marsten, who has promised me they support their own claim. We have Tullison, whose lord did not even show up, which does not suggest the greatest fervour to get these lands. We have Bartheld and Dulver, who I think will work together. Then Coldbrook is the last one, and as they stand alone I doubt they will be able to raise enough political power to be a serious contender. Regardless of what the ultimate prize might be, many houses would settle for a guaranteed smaller piece of it, than hope against all odds that they will be able to secure the victory."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
My nephew should be here well in time for the proceedings, I am simply an earlier arrival"
There is no shift in his apparent mood, as if he takes no offense at the suggestion that Dunstan did not bother to be here. "
But there is one facet to this little game that places House Marsten at a disadvantage, Ser Kevan's renown as a jouster is mostly born out of good fortune at Riverrun, Ser Tymon's lance is a deal more potent, while the horsemanship of myself and Lord Baelon will make up the difference in nine out of ten tilts"


"
If it is as you say, that Bartheld and Dulver will work together, then Ser Kevan will be facing Ser Tymon, and I would wager good coin on the latter in such a pairing. Unless of course, they might secure Coldbrook or Tullison backing for a better jouster. And as I know Lord Baelon, he does no such thing without lavish offerings for his services."

[Yoren longshore]

"
Well, Kevan reached the final, although many a candidate was in his way. He was unhorsed by Derrock in the end, but losing such a tilt is no dishonor. Although he might not be the best lance in the realm, he is certainly up there."


"
I am no fool, I have doubts about the results of the jousts too, but I will not need to see a Water on either side of the tilt. Ben too is a strong jouster, no need to bring in expensive outside help."


Pausing for a minute to let some vehemence steam of he smiles and tells Theomore: "
Still you have not told me who the Tullisons will support. I reckon that your own lance could provide a victory for any side."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I cannot speak for my nephew, of course."
Theomore offers apologetically, but with a knowing smile. "
But my counsel is to seek to secure an outcome from which House Tullison stands to gain, and where our contributions to this victory are substantial enough to warrant gratitude. That will be easier done by supporting a Marsten bid than other alternatives I should think, though the diligent adviser ought to present more than a single option for his lord's consideration."

[Yoren longshore]

"
A dilligent advisor ought to do many things, but sometimes a man needs his uncle more than he needs an advisor. I think that all would be appreciative of Tullison support, and your nephew may at times be a bit easy to manipulate. He might be best served by being given a course of action, rather than being offered many options."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, this uncle expects to recommend one alternative over the others."
Theomore doesn't disagree with Yoren's assessment, though Marsten beeing that option was only probably, not foregone. "
But what if someone were to offer Mountain's Reach a rather tempting offer? Would it be past House Coldbrook, isolated as you say, to not attempt to reach out to another house favoring the king's heir of choice? They would, after all, have very little to loose, and a stake in the joust to gain."


"
In times like these, stranger things could happen. Myself, I have a distinct dislike of a coin-toss where I get nothing if the wrong side lands up, what if a situation may arise where House Tullison stands to gain regardless of which jouster proves himself to hold the favor of the warrior?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
It would not be past them, and I am sure that they can pay just as handsomely as the Marstens, but why would you support them over the Marstens? Why would you support them over the Dulvers? As far as I am aware you do not have a good star in the Coldbrooks books, no amount of favor currying will change that. In that respect, supporting the Dulvers might be your best plan, as there, at least, the people like you quite well."


Yoren is amused by Theomores idea of wanting to put support for both sides: "
How would you do that? Unless you swing your votes for one faction and joust for their opponents I do not see a way that that may work out."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
I imagine that House Tullison will be hearing from both Marstens and Dulvers, perhaps others, too."
Theomore gives a shrug. "
I would expect that House Marsten will make the more convincing case, but I like to keep an open mind. I should think that the overtures of House Longshore towards Seagard and the rationale behind it would not turn you foreign as to why House Tullison might find it fortuitous to make common cause with House Coldbrook, unlikely as it might be."

[Yoren longshore]

"
It might be a good idea, however, then you will make them your neighbors, even before your relations with them has improved. Why risk it, when you can easily get behind either the Dulvers or the Marstens? Both would be happy to have your lance..."

Yoren pauses for a minute, smiling, before he adds: "
But again you evade a question: How will you be able to benefit regardless of if you support the winning side?"

[Theomore Tullison]

"
The key, my friend, is the elimination of chance."
Theomore picks a small sack out of one of the chests, producing a wooden Cyvasse piece painted red, it's head carved in the shape of a horse. "
Let's say House Marsten gets a champion in the joust, which House Tullison can secure, particularly so if House Longshore already backs their bid."


"
But there will be another champion."
Theomore produces a blue horse from the bag, placing it opposite the red one. "
Decided by the runner up, if my lord nehpew were to put his votes behind House Marsten, that would then be Ser Tymon Lannister riding for the coalition of Houses Bartheld and Dulver if there is such a coalition."


"
If, say, Tullison were to split it's efforts, it so happens that I, as a bannerman of House Frey, may be free to act independently of my nephew, and while he secures a place for House Marsten at the lists, I could broker my own influence to see if that might suffice to select which other House gets to field a champion, thus placing House Tullison in a position where it will receive the gratitude of whoever becomes the victor."


"
Not to mention the fact that if Tullison and Coldbrook were to work together, there could very well be a good chance that both challengers in the joust would happen to ride for houses supporting the will of his grace in matters of succession, some might see an appeal to such an outcome greater than the material prizes on offer."

[Yoren longshore]

"
That is assuming that Coldbrook and half of Tullison carries more sway here than all of Bartheld and all of Dulver. But even still, it's a gesture that shows that you care little for which side you support. I don't know about Corrine, but I know that I would not like to see people hedging their bets on both sides if I were to try to accomplish something. I believe that Corrine is the one that could command the most authority around here, and therefore I will support her. If we lose, we lose, but at least nobody will have any grudges with me because of it."

[Theomore Tullison]

"
Well, who's to say that all of Tullison and all of Coldbrook cannot make a bid to attempt to secure a joust where whatever the outcome, our side will be strengthened in the war to come?"
Theomore seems to find the exercise more academic than realistic, but he definitely likes to speculate on opportunities like this. "
But politics is the art of what is possible, not necessarily what would be the most beneficial."

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