Re: Looking After Lily (Closed)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Nathan was surprisingly callous about it. He was in favour of just returning the poor girl, for the sake of keeping our lives quiet. I disagreed with him, but I understand his reasoning. She is one person, and this is a gamble that risks our family. He agreed to help if needed, and I trust him to keep this quiet, despite his caution about not trusting everyone, like I do too often."

She sighed sadly.

" You see, I thought about it, and what sort of person am I if I let someone suffer just to protect my own interests? That would be what my mother would do. It's what she did to House Kriegar, and I never want to let down or abandon those who need me. I never want to be like her. Lily is not just a girl. She represents something. She stands for all I wish to help and protect. If I say I stand for the empowerment of women, but let one remain powerless when I can help liberate her, then my values are not my values, they are merely hobbies. If I send her back to her father, I am a hypocrite that is likely condemning her to a fate worse than death."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"The Gods have sent me this test. I am sure of it. They want to know if I am truly righteous, or if I will compromise my principles and morality for an easier life."

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben pulls her into his chest, his chin resting on her head. "Nathan has bit more of The Father in him cold and practical. You my dear, are The Mother herself. Protective over all. It is one of the many, many things I love about you."

Moving he places a kiss atop her head. "We will see it through. Let's just have backup plan for the backup plan."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"What would you suggest?" she asked, resting her head against his chest, holding him around the waist. "My only other thought is to let him call our bluff, and expose him. Try to take the high ground over him. But it is not small thing to lay waste to another House's standing, and it would make enemies of some others."

[Reader]

When the time comes, Lord Daleford receives the delegation with the traditional bread and salt, and if the rumours are true House Daleford has little more to offer. Lord Daleford himself seem relatively innocuous for an alleged monster, a fit looking older gentleman, clean shaven and with curly grey hair, but wearing frayed robes.

While the welcome is formal, the words that follow have none of the hospitality that Lord Daleford's house was once famed for.

"Marsten colours. A noble house, and a tireless servant to House Targaryen in recent years, or such is the word from court."

"Mind you see what such loyalty brings you - a broken back and your strength wasted away, then tossed aside like some churl once they can wring no more use from you. Others who were slower to serve and less fervent grow stronger due to your sacrifice, their disloyalty rewarded with rich prizes to buy their friendship."

He shakes his head, his mind wandering.

[OOC: we'll be in to simple intrigue/complex intrigue territory at some point IF you manage to make an offer, but keen to gets things started with roleplay to see what offer you make to his face]

[Loreia]

humble suggestion:

[Benedict Marsten]

"What would you suggest?" she asked, resting her head against his chest, holding him around the waist. "My only other thought is to let him call our bluff, and expose him. Try to take the high ground over him. But it is not small thing to lay waste to another House's standing, and it would make enemies of some others."

"I would only add a pre-plan. Let Daleford keep his secret. Offer a match for his boy and to cover his daughters wedding cost, to the knight of hers. Under the condition we take him into our service. Bringing them back into the safety of Harstshorn or nearby.

If this fails go to the bluff of revealing his secret. Then if all else fails, flight."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"What would you suggest?" she asked, resting her head against his chest, holding him around the waist. "My only other thought is to let him call our bluff, and expose him. Try to take the high ground over him. But it is not small thing to lay waste to another House's standing, and it would make enemies of some others."

"I would only add a pre-plan. Let Daleford keep his secret. Offer a match for his boy and to cover his daughters wedding cost, to the knight of hers. Under the condition we take him into our service. Bringing them back into the safety of Harstshorn or nearby.

If this fails go to the bluff of revealing his secret. Then if all else fails, flight."

"It shall be done. If we play this right, we solve three problems at once. After all, we're getting a reputation for taking in strays," she replied, with a sad little smile.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

When the time comes, Lord Daleford receives the delegation with the traditional bread and salt, and if the rumours are true House Daleford has little more to offer. Lord Daleford himself seem relatively innocuous for an alleged monster, a fit looking older gentleman, clean shaven and with curly grey hair, but wearing frayed robes.

While the welcome is formal, the words that follow have none of the hospitality that Lord Daleford's house was once famed for.

"Marsten colours. A noble house, and a tireless servant to House Targaryen in recent years, or such is the word from court."

"Mind you see what such loyalty brings you - a broken back and your strength wasted away, then tossed aside like some churl once they can wring no more use from you. Others who were slower to serve and less fervent grow stronger due to your sacrifice, their disloyalty rewarded with rich prizes to buy their friendship."

He shakes his head, his mind wandering.

[OOC: we'll be in to simple intrigue/complex intrigue territory at some point IF you manage to make an offer, but keen to gets things started with roleplay to see what offer you make to his face]

Corrine, flanked by her chosen companions, curtsies to Lord Daleford respectfully, meeting his scornful words with a mask of a congenial smile.

"Thank you for receiving us, my lord. As to your thoughts on House Marsten, I am delighted to attest that House Marsten is thriving under my leadership, and that whatever men... and dragons may look down upon us, the Seven surely smile upon the righteous. But, I did not come to discuss my House's fortunes or its past. I am here to discuss Lily. Ideally in private."

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan stands behind the group, his normal eloquence silent for the moment. It would be Lady Marsten's words, not his, that would determine the fate of the young couple. Instead, Nathan quickly assessed the room, noting those present, those not, their manner and predicting how each might react to the truth of their visit. Would this conversation be a simple footnote in a few peoples lives, or would it be the final killing blow to a once great House. For Adham and Lilly's sake, and for the sake of many others, he hoped it was the former.

Lilly Daleford - Cunning (Memory): 5d6k4 11

[Ser Jon Roxton is with Nathan if Reader permits.]

[Reader]

Try as he might, Nathaniel could not summon up any pertinent information on Lord Daleford, the House had fallen from high repute to the margins of history since its leal service in putting down the Faith Militant.

Still, he had the reassuring presence of Jon beside him, a formidable pair indeed.

Lord Daleford clutched the arms of the tired looking seat of his house.

"Lily? Can it be?"

He makes a sweeping gesture to his few scattered attendants and guardsmen, motioning for Corrine alone to approach.

"Do not be unkind and delay an old man news."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine's jaw tightened a little, and she took a deep breath.

I need this to be on my terms, damn it.

"Lily has been found, though the curcumstances are delicate. I must strongly suggest that this discussion be taken somewhere private.

Persuasion - Convince: 6d6k5 21

[Reader]

Lord Daleford ponders for a moment. At least the hall has emptied, so this upstart Targaryen lackey does not see fit to order ,me around in front of my sworn swords and servants.

"It is a fine Spring day my Lady, I would share a glass of wine with you in my solar. My steward can give your companions a tour of my humble home and share its history."

"It sounds like the news is glad, and you can trust her loving father to keep Lily's secrets, no matter how delicate. The Seven have blessed us this day, you must have the Father's judgement to have succeeded in this errantry where countless brave knights could not."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Oh it's like that, is it?

"My Lord husband is not merely a companion, my lord. And Master Mason was instrumental in Lily's rescue. Besides, it is not Lily's secrets that are of concern," she added, pointedly.

"I would not have such bravery and integrity consigned to a tour. Let us go share some wine together," she countered, maintaining her sweet voice, despite her annoyance.

[Another simple intrigue, or do we go complex?]

[Reader]

[OOC: I'll let the original roll force the issue]

Such is the way of things then, to be set upon by jackals in my own home, perhaps with some concocted story that serves their purposes, or their puppeteers.

"Let us all retire to the solar then, I would not deny you your consort though the Seven saw fit to deny me mine."

The old lord is still firm on his feet and purposeful, unbent and unwithered by age.

The solar is a sparse affair, with three dinted goblet offered to the nobles by Lord Daleford, and a cracked pewter mug for Nathaniel. Ser Jon nods to Nathaniel and moves to stand guard outside.

Lord Daleford pours the obscure vintage himself from a half-finished bottle, making no attempt to hide adding some water to spread the red further. For those who imbibe, the local wine is rich and deep, and surprisingly pleasant given its lack of reputation.

"Now, I must insist. Tell me of my Lily."

[Nathaniel Mason]

Nathan accepted the cracked pewter mug graciously. If Lord Daleford meant it as a subtle slight, it missed the mark by an extremely wide margin. To him, the mug was a symbol of better days now tarnished and cracked by war. House Daleford was but one House destroyed by the Faith Militant war, for all their honour, piousness and loyalty. House Blackwood and Bracken had hovered on the brink for thousand years due to their conflict. It was almost inevitable some Houses would meet the same fate as the Daleford's after the Stepstone war, and still more to follow when the civil war broke into full rebellion. Perhaps the Royal House itself would fall. Nathan wondered, not for the first time, why nobles could be so stupid. War seemed to be like a plague they insisted on inflicting upon themselves and others with disturbing regularity.

Identify Wine - Knowledge (Education): 4d6k3 16

"A fine vintage, my Lord. You do us much honour. Wines from the Monestary of Silverhill are not well known, and this one of their best examples. Reminiscent of an early Winterfel red but not as cloyingly sweet." Even if Nathan was not who he was, a Bartheld knew wine.

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben starts at the suggestion of Corrine alone with the old buzzard. There was no way that was happening. He let her handle the situation more eloquently than he himself would have. Though hers probably still carried more force.

Ben merely sipped at the wine, a tinge of pity for the bastard. Here they were imposing on this captain and his sinking ship and he still managed to give of what little he had.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Thank you, my lord. I am sorry that you feel benighted by this, but it really is in your best interests. So, let me be frank with you. Lily is safe, and recovering from her ordeal in a Sept nearby. She needed the peace of religious seclusion. However, I learned, after her rescue, of your House's sad plight. I am deeply sorry for your losses and misfortunes. I wish to offer you a solution. Both Lily and Adham are unwed, leaving the future of House Daleford uncertain. Allow me to find matches for them. You may have heard of the successful matches I have made these past few years. All happy and fruitful."

[Reader]

Awareness (empathy): 3d6 12

Lord Daleford's eyes narrowed at Corrine's mention of Lily's "ordeal", but he did not sally forth with a remark, at least, not yet.

He nods.

"This news lifts my heart."

He scratched his chin and sighed. It was all too easy to see him for an old man at the moment, unless one knew of and believed in the monster within. Not a word of sentiment, not a hint at the allegations. Lord Daleford is straight to negotiations, to counting favours and coins.

"Uncertain. Hmph. Ruined for a certainty. Whole will take Lily after she has trailed up and down Westeros? Our lands will not provide a fat dowry, not unless I am to starve my smallfolk next winter."

"Adham is a good knight and a loyal son, but he has a poet's soul. He will want to marry for love, not the dowry his people will need when I am gone."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Worry not about who will have her, or about the money. I want to help your House, Lord Daleford, especially your children. As someone who had to save my own ailing House, yours is a plight I can empathise with. Let me help them both be married within a year, and House Marsten will take care of Lily's dowry, and you can rest easy in the knowledge that House Daleford will stabilise again."

[Reader]

'Ailing'. We should all suffer such ails from the Gods as House Marsten. This girl does not yet know true trials, but she will, as we did in serving the Dragons.

Lord Daleford straightens his back.

"I will not pawn my son off for the Vale's silver, or marry my Lily off to knight from the mountains that I know nothing of."

"House Daleford is an old House, and I will not see it end with me or my son. Our stability would be but a mirage, an illusion like some mummer's trick."

"I insist that my daughter is not married until Ser Adham has an heir of the blood."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"I appreciate your desire for self-reliance, my lord. However, I have good reason to believe that Lily is in danger as long as she remains unmarried. I know of a knight of high honour who is known to your family and has the advantage of actually loving your daughter. Would that help ease your mind? Please do not drive your House into the ground out of pride. I certainly have no intention of making House Daleford beholden to me by coin. I make the offer for Lily's sake."

[Reader]

"I think I know the man of whom you speak. This is a bitter pill, there was once a time when Dalefords wed younger Velaryons, Florents and Tullys."

He drains his cup, setting the dented goblet aside.

"Lily may marry him with my blessing, but only after my son is married and I have a grandson. Lords do not have the luxury of setting minds at ease, only planning to secure their family and its future."

He clenches his fists at this, his hands still strong despite his years.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Very well, I will agree to that. I solemnly swear I shall find your son a fine wife. But, I propose that Lily remain in the care of House Marsten until Adham has a son, for her protection."

Here we go. I suppose I did well to get this far without having to pull the gauntlets off.

[Nathaniel Mason]

"If your concern is financial, Lord Daleford, perhaps I can ease your mind slightly. I am sympathetic to your plight and the sacrifices your House has made for the Kingdom. I could gift you with some coin to ease your current difficulties, and I have some expertise in the management of holdings. I would happily offer my expertise if you feel it would be useful.

I promised Lord Adham I would assist your House. That assistance need to end with Lily's recovery." Provided your pride and stubborness do not get in the way.

[Nathan is offering 1 Wealth Point to House Daleford and an assist on some of their HF rolls.]

[Reader]

Lord Daleford paused, presenting an opening for Lord and Lady Marsten to accede to his desires on the timing of any marriages or to sweeten the deal.

[OOC: giving a slot for Lord and Lady Marsten to weigh in if desired]

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