To See The Sea [Closed]

[Yoren longshore]

Feeling the breeze on his back as they stood working felt great! The simple work cleared his mind after a long day of peering at ledgers. All of the men working with him didn't get why a lord would work next to them. They couldn't see why Yoren took as much pleasure, if not more, from building this house than he ever did at the feasts. Admittedly Yoren was not as strong as the others, but they put him next to the strongest of them, Og, and it all balanced out, much like his ledgers.
"
Og"
, nicknamed after a man who threw a mountain in one of Yorens old books, was strong enough to do the work alone, and Yoren often felt more like a maskot than like a proper builder...

Just as the project is done Yoren looks over his shoulder to see Ereth. Is it this late already? he asks himself, and the sun gives the answer. Wiping off the worst sweat Yoren tries to make himself presentable. After a few futile attempts at combing his hair with his hand, he waves to Ereth, telling him: "
Down here!"

[Ereth Redwain]

"
Breaking a sweat are we?"
asks Ereth with a chuckle "
It's just me looking for you Yoren, I brought Alya along to visit home and get a smell of the sea, before she drowns with the sweet smell of red apples and silver sea of the flax fields"
walking down carefully as the change of illumination can be troublesome and he rather be alive at the end of the stairs, always keeping a smile "
A bit more illumination on those steps so the change of light isn't so bad, or perhaps it's just my eyes are sensible, but come now let's walk to get some fresh air seems you need it more than I do by the looks of it"
Ereth laughs a bit "
How is everything going on in your lands my lord, or should I just say brother?"
Ereth hugs Yoren like family would, of the good kind that is.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren smiles as he gives a hug: "
I think brother-in-law would be the correct term, but brother sounds better, doesn't it? I'd like to call you brother. Things are going well."
Yoren pauses for a moment before telling Ereth: "
Father shows few signs of improving, I don't think he can last much longer, and he still refuses to see a maester... I would like to talk to Alya before she sees him, to prepare her."


Yoren spoke swiftly before moving on to a less emotional topic: "
Some of the houses here sprung leak in the recent storm, so we had to drain the water from them, it has been hard work, but it is worth it."


Yoren pauses from walking to show Ereth a house with grass around it: "
Now we just need to dig away the grass, so it doesn't spread rot into the house, and we are ready for the next storm."


Yoren again starts walking as he broaches a new, difficult, topic: "
How is Alya faring? Does she enjoy herself inland? I should perhaps visit more often, but I don't want to leave father alone..."
Yoren looks worried, although he knows his sister is better of not being on the harsh rock that is Longshore lands.

[Ereth Redwain]

"
She is doing well, just missing the sight of the sea and the smell of it, other than that we are doing great"
a mischievous smile crosses Ereth's face "
Alya may also have something for you Yoren"
looking at the grass and the Longshore lands "
I think she might be a bit upset about her father, but you shouldn't be afraid to visit it's not like lord Ferris is going anywhere other than sitting to eat or the stool really. Furthermore, if he is that stubborn to not see a maester than unless you can find a healer of some kind let him enjoy his own mysery and pain, don't carry it for him is not going to do you any good"

[Yoren longshore]

"
You should visit here more often, it's not far by horse, and my servant is always happy to see you and Alya."
Curious by Ereths smile he asks: "
What is it that she's gotten me?"


"
Well, the disturbing thing is that I think that his mind has begun to wander... Last night over dinner he didn't tell me how much of a dissapointment I was, he was close to decent with me."
Yoren tries to cloak two dark facts into some sort of humor, but fails as usual. "
I can't really leave him here with no family around him, whether we like it or not, we are stuck her with each other."

[Ereth Redwain]

"
Alya won't be riding horses for a while, so we came now while she still can"
Ereth smiles "
You have any water?"
Ereth always feels thirsty, and is probably the salty smell of the sea or perhaps just Yoren's smell this time. "
I have a question, but Alya will let me know if she wishes to do both the Drowned God baptism and by the seven. After all any child of her will be ironborn as much as a riverlander"


"
That will hurt you more, once he begins to forget not only small things, but then who you are. A stranger in his House, and his body"
Ereth shakes his head "
That is a terrible way to die, from the wandering mind, let us hope is quick and fast or it will be very painful to you and Alya"

[Yoren longshore]

"
A child? That is a gift for you indeed."
Yoren smiles to Ereths good fortune: "
Water? We are surrounded by water on three sides here, I don't think that will be too hard to manage."
Yoren jokes, before adding: "
Let's go to the well, it's this way."
As he leads Ereth towards a well that lies close by.

"
Who knows? If he gets better he might still have some good years ahead of him, but when he won't trust maesters, it's hard to heal him. I agree that we should be sceptical towards someone who can controll as much as the maesters, but when he is dying anyway, what harm can the maesters do anyway?"
Yoren asks Ereth Retorically.

"
How has your cider been this year?"
Yoren asks, again shifting to a practical question instead of talking about the uncomfortable.

[Ereth Redwain]

"
Cider is doing great, I will eventually hire some skilled brewmaster to improve it even more, but sales are doing good, and the flax and linen are also picking up the pace"
Ereth takes a long sip of water "
I just hope to expand my domains to the sea or close enough for Alya to see it to put her at ease when she is stressed. Perhaps we might be here for the birth, but we will see nothing sure yet and we need to get many things done way before that happens"
.

"
Let us hope Lord Ferris can get better, but you should try and look for someone that can do it, just not a maester which makes things rather difficult"

[Yoren longshore]

"
It's not much that can be done without the maesters, most healers are little better than charlatans. Once my father accepts charlatans, I think I can convince him to get a maester."
As they reach the well Yoren starts lowering the bucket.

"
What do you think about the recent events? The violence that is spreading? I've kept criminals of my lands before, but with the amount of brigands roaming around, I don't know how we can be secure in the future... Have your lands felt the unrest yet?"

[Ereth Redwain]

"
We all feel it, and we can all hear the thunder from the coming storm, I just hope not to be caught in it if I can"
looking no were in particular "
Yes, there is more unrest than usual, with brigands being more common or lawless problems on the roads. I think my lands are decently secured, do I must work on improving my grip on them, but my time and money is going first to build a solid economy for my House while keeping the peace at a respectable level. How are the Longshore lands so far?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
The wildlings and our bigger friends"
Yoren points towards Og: "
loves me. The rest of them only barely follow orders, but that's nothing not expected."
Yoren tells. "
I do not know which is most dangerous, those clinging to me, knowing that I'm the only reason they're safe here in the south. or those only kept from toppling me by tradition and fear."
He looks exhasparated as he adds: "
I've bettered their lives in some ways, but they still distrust me, thinking it'll make them soft. I help them, but all they can think of is how it can be a trap. Regardless of what I say, they won't trust me any more than they have to."

[Ereth Redwain]

"
They are fighters Yoren, they won't respect you until you fight with them, and the other are just there to lick your boots because they are smarter, but no less dangerous. Just in a different way"
looking at Og 'I still can't believe you brought them here or a reason why? There are plenty of orphans and smallfolk you could have picked up to come work instead of wildlings, why risk a trip and an axe to the head?"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Because nobody else will give them a chance. Helping orphans or smallfolk is serving yourself as well as it serves others, charity is only when you make sacrifices. They are dying up there, their huge stature serves to make the cold winds even colder, I gave them the option of saving their race, their ancestry, and they took it. If we only do the easy things in life, only do what comes natural, then we are no better than the animals following their instincts."
Yoren tells Ereth.

[Ereth Redwain]

"
Well, that is one righteous way to see it."
Ereth frowns "
I act within my constrains, I neither have the power or means to go save people that far away, I rather give a good living to my small folk. It also benefits me yes, but I'm a lord and I must be able to maintain my lands and think of the best ways to improve it. I have been involving Alya in decisions, so she grows accustomed to the position eventually."
Ereth looks at Og again "
They have lived for long time on the other side of the wall, and they will probably continue to do so with or without your intervention, but this handful at least have improved their lives, and try to save their tradition and stories, but it will eventually die off one they slowly integrate with the Ironborn or travel and integrate with other Houses and everything will be long forgotten. I just hope they don't go to their marauding ways and cause your House trouble"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Most people have their constraints set by their minds, not by the world as such."
Yoren answers in an elusive fashion. "
Good of you to involve her, she needs to be active, especially now that she's active for two."


Nodding towards the gargantuan Og he tells Ereth: "
They do not thrive. Each year their tribe was pushed further away from rich land. They were once the mightiest beyond the wall, and were reduced now to less than two score of members, many were also starving, incapable of finding enough nourishment."
Smiling he adds: "
They were a lot like us iron islanders, pushed back further away from arable lands at each crossroad, perhaps their new blood is what can turn the tide, and let us once again live lives of plenty? We are quite alike, but we also have our differences. When we work together on fixing these houses, we also work together to fix the house of Longshore. Let their mindless acceptance be tempered with the local populations resentment, and let the ironborn resentment be tempered by acceptance."


Yoren then asks Ereth: "
Should we go into the halls? We can check if the servant has made dinner, or if we need to do it ourself."

[Ereth Redwain]

"
I suppose that for you as ironborn, you can see the similarities you speak about, but it would be harder for me to understand it at any depth, but the underlying part gives a new perspective of things and why you did such a thing. It did sound a bit like pity, and similarities"
Ereth looks at Yoren "
I would have never done such enterprise, but I would not say I wouldn't join one if I could afford it, which is not as easy as a lord and a House to maintain, and now family to care for. You have to much free time compared to many of us, but once you are lord of this House, things will change and you will understand my point of view more"


A man to never shy away of a good meal offering "
Well that has been the best part of our conversation so far!"
Ereth laughs "
let us have a good dinner and in a more comfortable place, I don't want to feel the bite of cold when not ready for it if I can"
as they walk towards the great hall "
You need wife before you get to old and preferably before your father dies, you need to secure heirs at this rate"

[Yoren longshore]

"
Free time is all I have."
Yoren nods as they pass someone on the way to the castle. "
Once a week I sit judgement, on days too stormy to be outside I ensure that everyone is fed and has paid their taxes, the rest of the time my job is simply to be visible. For the most part everyone have their workload set out for them, everyone knows their trade better than I know their trade, so why should I do anything but lending my back to their work? Our land is rough, and every hand is needed. We all work united here, and that's why we once ruled the west of westeros, everything from the Arbor to the Bear isles, and why we created the biggest castle in all of westeros. Because we all supported each other we all rose together."


As they walk into the castle Yoren tells Ereth: "
I have my eyes on someone, someone with a nice smile..."
On a tangent he adds: "
I think we have some of that sow we slaughtered last week left, otherwise it will be oat porridge again."
Yoren tells Ereth with a sigh.

[Ereth Redwain]

Ereth sigh compliments Yoren's "
I had worse food before so it will be fine if it comes down to oat porridge, to onions or something less interesting I have no problems"
following Yoren to the kitchen to find out what was for dinner "
I agree it can be annoying to sit and listen for long periods of time, I think that is what your sister hates the most. I also like to take strolls around and say hi and share a laugh or two. While I've been told that can be dangerous, I think showing my smallfolk that really I'm not that far and I do care for their well being. Whether that is true or not, that depends on how bad of a day I have had"
Ereth chuckles "
Joking aside, somehow I imagined leading ironborn was a bit harder as they expect you to be some kind of warrior also, I mean..."
trying to find words to sound proper and not like most people probably would, Ereth customary saying hi and exchanging some words with passer by takes over while they make their way and finally comes back to the conversation "
Like I was saying, ironborn are very war-like people so I just figured you would have to be a fairly good warrior also, not saying there is anything wrong if you are not, some lords are great at managing their House and have great warriors to serve them, while some are more warriors with good advisors to help manage the House, so as long as you can manage and make sure your House survives or becomes better you will be fine."

[Yoren longshore]

"
The houses who prospers in peace are not the ones who prospers in turmoil. I won't need swords if i can keep all content with us."
While seeing to the dinner he asks Ereth: "
How long can you two stay before you need to return?"

[Ereth Redwain]

"
Not for long Yoren, but we will be here for at least five days so that she can take in the breeze and see familiar faces"
Ereth truly wonders what dinner is going to look like at the end "
I just hope it´s enough to visit like this for now, maybe later she can stay for longer"

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