[126/04] My Lady's Lady

[Benedict Marsten]

After a rather private luncheon with Lady Jeyne, the Marsten couple went separate ways. Ben had asked for use of the Arryn library. Corrine and Lady Arryn were to take a walk.(insert Corrine's story)

Ben sits among a mountain of dusty tomes. His topic not one for untrusted prying eyes, so he had resisted the urge to ask for assistance. He glanced at the few other patrons, completely oblivious to the small Lord.

Here I am again. In a place, at a task, I have no business with. No Ellie or Daveth to guide me.

The candles had burned low, by the time Ben felt hunger pains and weariness. Standing to stretch his tightening legs and stiff back, he yawns. The others were gone, perhaps to supper ... or bed. All that time and he had found only miniscule evidence.

He begins to clean his mess, when a familiar face enters from the dark. "
Will, you are are a welcome sight."


Lord Marsten's squire squire warmly smiles back, before trying to non-verbally indicate he was not alone. Lady Jeyne enters, skirts swishing. Two guards accompany her and remain near the door.

Ben clamors from his post-stretch to a formal bow, quite surprised to see her. "
My Lady, good evening. What brings the Maiden of the Vale to the library?"


She curtsies back with a perplexed smile. "
Lord Marsten you are a curious man. When first informed of your betrothal, I wondered were you a weak man? Taking a woman's name. Or simply a grasping man. Taking her house's wealth and influence. It appears neither."


"
Your lady wife speaks very highly of you. And not just between two ladies at court but amongst two lady's in private. Young Willum speaks your praise to any who will listen here at the Eryie. House Royce is an ancient House, and like House Marsten its voice carries great weight in the Vale."


"
Most squires do not see the values of their mentor's discipline till many moons after their knighthood."


"
You broke the clansmen and rebuilt them as men of the Vale, ending the short term threat to my Valley and reducing foes we will fight in battles yet to come. When the beggar armies of mercenaries threatened, you wiped them from the mountains."


"
Most recently your name has been sung in my very halls, but the songs did not start here. It makes the men swell with pride to hear of a fellow man of the Vale's deeds sung throughout Westeros."
She takes a moment to watch his reaction to her words and hear his response.

The telltale crooked smile curls Ben's lips. "
My wife may be a bit biased. Willum is wise beyond his years. As for the clansmen, better under our watch then at our backs."
His chin slowly wags form side to side. He gives an abbreviated chuckle. "
The song. The blessed song. Only the actions of any proper knight just put to tune with ... embellishments."


Standing a bit straighter, his smile tightens at his final reply. "
The Seven and the Old Gods have blessed me, my Lady. I strive to repay my debt to them everyday."


She casts an amused smile at Lord Marsten, before looking over his research. "
What have we here?"


"
No social call goes without some business, even the present one I assume."
That raise in his cheek appears again, tugging his lip up. Knowing full well she was there to disclose what he was researching.

"
I am sure word of the King's desire to resolve Market town's independence has reached the Eryie. Many say the King will see it brought under rulership of one of its many claimants. My sister, Lady Ellien, has discovered evidence of House Marsten's claim. I sought further evidence, here, that our stake may have greater legitimacy."


"
In all honesty my Lady we were hesitant to involve ourselves, but with the increase in tension between the Princess and Queen's supporters, our concern grew. I am sure my Lady wife has made you aware of the small escalation of paranoia and conflict that has set men at odds with in the year.

This town without proper leadership and military will be destroyed. It will become a valuable staging point and having no standing army or viable defense, it will fall to the first attack. Worst yet because they will surely resist, there will be many deaths. This will make the second attack inevitable. The other side will have to strike quickly while the first licks their wounds. More deaths. It may go this way for some time, back and forth. When the choking dust of war settles, this once great town will stand in ruin again. This is just one of the possible scenarios, but most other outcomes are similar."


"
I am not saying House Marsten is the only rightful contender. In the present situation I believe We are the right one. We have proven we take care of our people. The sound of Her Lady's Lance sends fear in to the hearts of our enemies and the darkness brought on by the Golden Arrow's arrows break men's spirits. With the sword of warriors like Ser Kevan, Ser Markus, Lady Dyana and Willum we would protect them as is a nobles duty. With the guiding hand of Lady Marsten and her council we would see them grow and prosper. And show Westeros the Vale stands as high as it's mountain's peaks."


Ben had not meant to go on like this, but it all easily rolled from his mouth. He meant to prepare his words and bring them before Lady Arryn in the morning. Possibly have Corrine round the edges of his blunt request. He was here now, and as the mummers were want to say. "
The show must go on."


"
My Lady, I - house Marsten humbly requests your support in our claim. I have found much the same evidence here"
His hand sweeps over his cluttered work area. "
as was found in our own small library. We both know full well your resources carry more weight than our own small house."

[Reader]

"
House Marsten our of loyal and faithful servants, allow in the Vale know this and many beyond our borders. Did the throne itself not call on the Heavens to restore order to Lord Tully's troubled realm?"


He pauses in thought for a moment.

"
It is true that House Arryn's voice carries weight, but it occurs to me that this weight will weigh more greatly if offered in support of another, as worthy as House Marsten is of our praise."


"
I shall dictate a brace of letters and affix our seal, lending my House's strength to both your House and another to be nominated by you and Lady Marsten. I trust to your wisdom as to which of these should be deployed - a larger weight but placed on the scale of one from outwith the Vale, or a smaller stone that may be enough to carry the court's opinion towards your House."


"
As High as Honour, Lord Marsten. Your house is as high in esteem as the Eyrie and our honour - bring renown to the Vale in these troubled times."


[OOC: confirming the Lady Arryn's words in Ben's post were narrator drafted as a result of Lord Marsten's offseason rolls and we collaborated in his personal forum.]

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: Earlier in the visit, as indicated in the OP.]

Corrine had not been to The Eyrie for several years, but she remembered much of it. It had made a strong impression upon her as a symbol of strength and high estate. She found Lady Arryn as personable as she recalled, and was glad that she and Ben seemed to get on. This visit, she hoped, would strengthen House Marsten's friendship with House Arryn.

When Ben requests to see the library, Corrine suggests a walk in the godswood to Lady Arryn.

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