When Winter Leaves.... (Private)

Yadon Maegyr

Location:
Stark's residence in New King's Landing > Meeting Room
Time: Morning

Koujaku.full.2739466.jpg
Without initial attention to involving himself, Yadon was still negatively surprised by a man's rawness on such a vital position towards the young lady. He was already aware of the common brutality folk faced around Westeros, but the plain disrespect towards esteemed guest's party.

Eloise wasted no time verbally assaulting the man, albeit in as polished a tone as possible. Seeing how the guard was even more inclined to talk back. It has occurred to him. The barbarian had no idea who he is either. Seeing how the ongoing verbal dispute would be anything but productive in this case, Yadon laid his hand on Eloise's shoulder and squeezed lightly to get her to pause.

"Kind sir," the First Sword spoke instead. "We were unaware of your extraordinarily unusual way of greeting host's guests. We meant no insult." The tone of his voice sounded slightly condescending. Not that a half-wit such as a man standing in front of them would pick up on it. The guard eyed them both with not-so-hidden spite. "Ya don't look like any noble I've seen," he referred to Yadon's unusual clothes. Smirking back politely, the First Sword proceeded to respond when the man appearing behind the guard interrupted him.

Albeit dressed in rather notable black and red clothes and adorned with many hair accessories, the man seemed rugged and out of place, trying to fit in. Nevertheless, Yadon had no desire to question the placement of someone that worked in their favor. Instead, he responded to a nod with a respectful bow, allowing men to discuss the matter between them briefly.

It didn't take for the guard to yield, although with evident disapproval. The dark-haired man stepped forward, placing his hand on his chest and yet remaining straightened, setting a barrier between his actions and his pride.

An Ironborn, he thought.

With Starks as their hosts and other notably prideful houses too small to have an additional representative, there was almost no doubt. Even so, he allowed the answer to come to him instead.

"Ambassador Maegyr," the man addressed him correctly, "I apologize for the inconvenience. I am confident that we all agree that all of this was unnecessary but harmless." The name seemed to ring the bell as the guard suddenly lost all of the color from his face. Briefly observing Eloise, the man proceeded. "Best not to let the assembly wait any longer, First Sword."

"Of course," he agreed reluctantly, looking for the name or the title to attach the vision to, and the man seemed to be witty enough to catch on.

"Maddock Goodbrother," he introduced himself briefly. "It is an honor."

"Likewise, lord Goodbrother," Yadon responded respectfully, and it seemed to have set back the ironborn before he smirked and nodded with approval.

"Please," Maddock gestured forward. "After you."

As soon as the group's backs were turned towards him, Maddock grabbed the insolent guard, showing him into the doorway. "You useless piece of snot," he squeezed out into the man's face through his teeth. "Make yourself fucking useful and tell Lion's men that the snare is set," he demanded, and the guard nodded quickly. Without further clarification, the ironborn walked back, rejoining the group. "This way," he offered politely, leading them down the hallway.

"I could not help but notice," Maddock spoke up to break the silence. "You seemed familiar with my identity," he stated, offering Yadon a curious glance, scar over his eye seemingly dancing with anticipation. As rejecting a small talk would have seemed impolite, the First Sword nodded and smirked.

"What sort of ambassador would I be not to familiarize myself with the vast history of the event that I am about to witness. I'd like to think I know more than I will need."

"Admirable," the ironborn agreed. "It isn't every day that there's such refreshment at the table." Using the opportunity to jab into the matter, if only briefly, Yadon responded matter-of-factly. "The pleasure is all mine. And perhaps later, we could discuss the improvement of the safety of our waters as well?"

Although the ironborn laughed out and nodded to it, the atmosphere changed. Not only was lord Goodbrother reminded of the stand Essos made towards his kin, but he was also reminded of his position in it all. So much so that he had to acknowledge it. His patience, however, was impressive.

"I'm afraid that your complaints will have to be addressed to lord Greyjoy," he clarified, and Yadon acknowledged it with an exaggerated curiosity. "Oh? I will see to do that then, certainly. And I will also make sure he knows of your hospitality. Thank you."

Unsure on how to respond, Maddock nodded and stopped in front of a sizeable double-door leading into the meeting room. There, he once again looked down, observing young women briefly. "With all due respect, ambassador, only the rightful participants are allowed inside the room."

"Oh, well," Yadon responded quickly, almost as if he expected it to be the case. "I assure you that these lovely ladies certainly are of a lot of interest to the entire situation."

Maddock, on the other hand, played the part of obliviousness, as hard as it were.

"I am not certain that I follow," he admitted solemnly. Unwilling to clarify the matter further to a man who had nothing to do with it, Yadon paused to recollect his thought and explain anew, once and for all confirming that Maddock would not get many more details than that.

"Very well," he agreed finally. "I suppose that is fair." It was clear that such a decision would not sit well with young Baratheon. Not while her beloved brother sat only a door away. For that, he turned to Eloise, leaning next to her ear.

"There are a time and a place to demand your highborn rights," he whispered. "This is not it. I will grant you your audience, but you have to not attract any more attention to yourself until I do. Trust me," he concluded and straightened up, referring back to the ironborn.

"Ladies are willing to remain outside for the time being. Would you be so kind as to keep an eye on them?" Yadon asked, and almost instantly, Maddock nodded in agreement. "Of course. Young ladies are safe with me, I assure you."

With another official greeting from the positioned men, the door opened, and Yadon entered the room, followed by guards. From the inside, his name was loudly announced.

@DayDreamer
@Nemopedia
 
  • Creepy
Reactions: Nemopedia


Maya Daltigar, Stark Estate, New King's Landing

Tags: Hawke Farwynd (@Ritual Lobotomy)


Maya huffed as she slid to a stop outside the Stark Estate. This was it, this was the place. She didn't need to guess since she had visited this place ahead of the meeting just to make sure she knew of all the exits and other security things so she could keep Kaylee informed. It would seem it would come in handy today. A cold sweat dripped down her back as green eyes scanned the area. It would seem everyone was already inside already.

They were too late. "Shit!" Maya cursed to herself as she began to pace back and forth. She stayed in a corner hidden as to not draw the attention of the patrolling guards. Biting down on a nail, Maya's frown deepened as she seemed lost in thought. How did she get here? Clearly stressed out of her mind with no idea how to proceed forward? Well it all started with Hawke and Maya returning back to the Lannister estate.

The pair had decided this would be the next best course of action considering, the girl that was left on their doorstep was a major clue but she needed to be sure of her safety first. Once at the estate Maya began to fill Hawke in or her thought process on the whole matter, not to mention she shared with him her secret, which was the glamour trinket. Once catching Hawke up to speed on all of that, Maya led him through the estate so that they could check on the girl.

They needed more information and they were honestly grasping at thin air. That was until their search was interrupted by a few guards wandering into the room that should've have been there. Luckily for Maya and Hawke, Maya had decided to go back to her usual appearance. Hawke quickly hid in the room while Maya handled the intruders. The entire exchange was odd since it was obvious they weren't supposed to be there but what made it even fisher was that they were surprised to find Maya there.

Almost as if they had been waiting for no one of importance to be around before making their move. Maya confronted them, questioning why they weren't doing their job and they went on to give her some excuse about the 'tainting of the Lannister name.' They wanted the injured girl to be dealt with despite Kaylee's strict orders to keep her protected and sustained until her return. The error these guard's made was thinking they would be able to sway Maya, of all people, to go against Kaylee's wishes.

Maya could've swiftly dealt with the situation, but there was more to it than it seemed. It didn't take a scholar to see that much, so she kept them distracted while Hawke picked up on her signals and stole some things off the unsuspecting guard's. Once everything was in the clear and Maya dismissed the guards who left begrudgingly, she reconvened with Hawke. There the two found a decorated golden encrusted dagger. Maya recognized the weapon since Kaylee had one just like it.

It was used as a badge of honor, a reward to be given to those most loyal and high within the Lannister family's ranks. Kaylee's father had gifted this same dagger to Charles, the Captain of Kaylee's personal guard before being awarded the honor once more by Kaylee after her father had passed. Only two we're made like it in the world, named Dawn and Duskbringer respectfully. The main family receiving the Dawnbringer and the secondary branch receiving the Duskbringer.

Seeing the Duskbringer in Hawke's hands let Maya know all she really needed to know about the 'who' behind all of this. Branton, Kaylee's troublemaker cousin had to be behind this all. It would make sense why they could pluck the Duskbringer off his personal guard like that. The next issues was finding out the why and how. The two decided to tail the guards after Maya arranged for the injured girl to be carefully looked after while she was away.

After tailing the suspicious Lannister guards for a while the arrived at their hidden estate. Things only got more dangerous from that point onwards. After finding a way inside the estate they managed to witness and exchange between the Lieutenant and Branton that confirmed Maya's suspicions. Maya was left emotional, angry and reeling. They needed to know more but there was no way the two of them could find a free moment to investigate.

In fact, they couldn't even safely leave once they had managed to infiltrate the estate. Ending up hiding in a tight enclosed storage space, the pair spent the rest of the evening and then night, trapped in enemy territory. Maya could send no word back to Hagen or Kaylee and she had hopped she could at least escape with Hawke in time to catch them both before they went into the meeting but they were too late. Maya had a very bad feeling about all of this.

"I need to get in there...." She muttered to herself, still pacing back and forth. "But they're not letting personal servants in. It's just the Lords and Ladies." She continued letting out a deep sigh and pinching the bridge of her nose. "This whole situation only continues to get worse and worse." she continued before she heard familiar voices beyond a corner. Squinting back at Hawke she silently motioned for him to follow as she went to eavesdrop on a nearby conversation.

"Ambassador Maegyr," a familiar voice spoke the name that was extremely familiar to Maya "I apologize for the inconvenience. I am confident that we all agree that all of this was unnecessary but harmless." Maya's now glamoured, green hues widened at the mention of her father coming from the mouth of a man she detested with every fiber of her being. "Best not to let the assembly wait any longer, First Sword." Maddock continued.

The exchange continued but Maya's ears did not miss the following of what Maddock hissed to the guard. "You useless piece of snot," he squeezed out into the man's face through his teeth. "Make yourself fucking useful and tell Lion's men that the snare is set," Maya's eyes narrowed into slits as she retreated back into the shadows to continue to remain undetected.

Waiting till the guard passed she got as close as she could without drawing Maddock and the other's attention. It wouldn't be good to reveal herself with Hawke beside her now. She listened to the rest of the exchange between her adoptive father and Maddock before squinting at the gathered group of ladies. Once more Maya felt her eyes stretch wide, this time in alarm as she quickly retreated back to her corner as she stared at Hawke, panic in her eyes.

"We're in big trouble." Was all she said as she realized who her father was escorting. None other than the missing sister-in-law Kaylee had spent ages searching for. Eloise Baratheon. But with a suspicious and Maddock? The pieces were all starting to come together on this board and Maya wasn't liking the odds she was being faced with right now. They were in more than a little 'pinch'.

--

xtra notes: Maya's current appearance



fear the fire in
- t h e s e - e y e s -
 
Hawke Farwynd

gGpi0NC.jpgLocation:
Stark's residence in New King's Landing > Courtyard
Time: Morning (Time of the meeting)

@Sailor Arti - Maya Daltigar

A mix of emotions plagued him, along with an almost obsessive need to come to a decent enough solution for it all. It was easier said than done to advise someone ways that he was unable to follow. If containing one's emotions was easy to do, they would not have been in all of that mess in the first place. For the first time, Hawke felt utterly useless. He felt embarrassingly out of the loop with everything that was going on. He had already failed to fully honor the promise to Hagen. All he could do now is prevent all of it from going further down the drain. Regardless of his inner turmoil, Hawke maintained his energy and focus on the task, allowing none of it to spill outwards.

Involving so profoundly into the affair of one of the most powerful families alone painted a good picture of how difficult the situation was. A constant dread lingered like a boulder in the man's stomach, sharpening his nerves and his senses. Keeping close to Maya was an easy task - mainly because there really was no other option to think of. Rushing headfirst into the lair proved the woman would step back from no dare.

"I need to get in there," glamoured Maya pondered out loud as she was pacing behind him. "But they're not letting personal servants in. It's just the Lords and Ladies."

"You will get in there," Hawke responded casually, observing the entrance to the facility and the courtyard. Plenty of open space, servants, and a few necessary guards that could have been an issue. "And I can help you," he concluded, pulling back.

"This whole situation only continues to get worse and worse," she proceeded, and Hawke once more gestured for her to settle down and listen, but before he could have done any more than that, a conversation took place that occupied Maya's attention. While the name mentioned rang no bells for Hawke, the voice addressing it was painfully familiar, and the boulder of dread dropped even heavier on his gut. For a moment, their eyes met as they both silently agreed; it was not good.

Granted, Maddock's presence itself was of no surprise as an advisor to the Seastone Chair. But his confidence and hospitality raise the alarm. Hawke wasn't too interested or knowledgeable in politics, but it did not take a political genius to know that an ironborn like Maddock would be as cocky only with a good base. That was the red flag that needed no further clarification. Albeit, it had soon arrived.

Following on the last night's findings, the pieces began to assemble in the pirate's head. Involuntarily, his fists clenched at the words spoken. The snake had a good reason to involve himself with whatever Lannister affairs were, and if there was ever any doubt in his mind, it was now as clear as day. It was personal. Hawke remained quiet, unable to contain the deep frown of disappointment that settled on his face.

"We're in big trouble." It was the fact. What started as a separate incident that required keeping an eye on Kaylee now turned into something bigger. Whether he was ready to face it or not didn't matter. Noticing her panicked glare lightened up his features into a more confident, settled expression. An overwhelming swarm of thoughts was forcefully lined up by priority. Subconsciously, his approach felt more sympathetic and protective. Once again, he felt the need to remind her where they stood, as hard as it was to remember.

"Focus," he advised calmly, taking another look behind the corner, thinking as Maddock made his way in with the guests. For a moment, Hawke forgot about breaking the man's back and instead focused back on the guards. Afterward, everything was once again serene, with just a silent conversation and neighing being heard from the stables.

Horses.

At the front of the stable, a large bay stud received a generous brush from the stable boy. Assessing his options briefly, Hawke turned back to Maya with a sigh. For the first time, he felt the need to confide to her, but the already overwhelmed woman certainly did not need to hear of his shenanigans. After all, if it got the job done, why did it matter?

"I will leave now; I would not be able to follow you in regardless," he announced calmly.

"L-leave? Wait... you don't have to--"

"You have to trust me with this,"
he quickly put an end to Maya's complaint, not allowing her to sink any deeper into that thought. When guards are away from their post, you will have only a few moments to sneak in. Don't waste it. I will be waiting outside." He was aware that Maya surely knew what she was doing, but the stern tone of his voice served more to keep her attention and emphasize the seriousness of his request. However, another good look at the face in glamour once again managed to kick him off the rails. It was so unbelievably embarrassing to admit that she was able to do so, but it was undoubtedly true. Because of it, he strictly kept the fact to himself.

The form was different, but the small perks were still there. The way she stood, spoke, and the way she glared at him in disbelief and with insecurity. It wasn't like her and yet it was completely natural. Natural enough for Hawke to humor the woman, for a moment fully focusing on her emotional state.

"Maya," Hawke called out to her with a smirk. "Listen here," he requested as he stepped closer, taking the freckled face into his hands. The offered reassurance required her full attention.

"You can do this." In his mind, there was no doubt about it. "And I won't be far. If you need me, I will know," he nodded, patting the side of her face gently. "There is no shame in that. We all need a push from time to time." He released her with a chuckle. Whether emotional or physical support, he was willing to provide. She needed to have no fear of it being held against her, and he hoped she understood it as such.

"Pay attention. You will know the cue when you see it," he focused back on the plan. With another reassuring nod, he made his way back behind the stables. Leaving her alone was a tough choice, but the only viable one.

***

With all the happenings focused around the courtyard, the back of the stables was reasonably easy to reach. Using a pile of hay and supply crates, Hawke quickly made his way upwards, swiftly grabbing at the beams on his way to the roof. There, just out of sight, he leaned against the wall and fixated himself in place securely, proceeding to have what an onlooker would think of as a healthy nap after a long night. Except, nothing was relaxing in the state Hawke threw himself in.

With practice, disassociating and seeking was an easy part of the deal. Occupying a mind of an animal he had never seen before was a different thing altogether - complex and draining, but possible. Even if it took a moment longer than he would have liked.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the stud yanked at the beam he was tied to, kicking the bucket of water backward as if it was fighting off the assailant. Regardless of the stable boy's attempts of keeping him calm, the horse continued to huff and neigh, tugging harder at the reins.

"Oi! Keep that filthy animal quiet, will ye? What are ye good for anyway?" The boy hastily apologized to the upset guard, his attention occupied with calming the animal but to no avail. Several violent tugs further and a swift move of the horse's head sent the boy back into the pile of hay.

"Feckin' beast! I'll be calming you meself for good!" The guard threatened further, approaching the distraught horse, but quickly coming to a halt when the animal yanked with another forceful huff, ripping the beam off and freeing itself. Settling down for a moment, the horse knowingly turned towards the man, assessing its target. Sensing the animosity, the guard reached for his sword.

"No! Are ya simple?" the other guard shouted. "Ya kill the damn thing they'll have yer head. Get outta there!"

Although evidently displeased with the inability to gut the horse, the man obeyed, removing his hand from the sword and moving backward instead. Even so, it was not enough to convince the beast in front of him that he was no threat. The man inside of it knew better.

The horse suddenly bolted forward, forcing the man to turn and run with a string of loud swears and shouts, requesting help from his companion. Unfortunately enough, his companion wasn't spared the terror either as the horse swiftly switched its direction, sending both men on the run further from their posts, with a group of servants following after in panic. The courtyard erupted with activity and confusion. Some rushed to help while the others sneakily enjoyed the sheer terror on guards' faces.
 
Last edited:
patrick-jensen-patrickjensen-gameofthrones-greathall01.jpg
Location:
Private room at Catlyn Stark's Mansion, New King's Landing
Time: Morning
-------------------------

With the last of the Lord's arriving and settling down, Catlyn called for their attention with a soft tap of her hand on the table. It wasn't hard. Everybody seemed eager to take this show on the road. "My Lords and Ladies let us get to work. Before the real talks begin, I would like to inform you of the procedure. As I am sure you noticed, the guards stationed outside will not allow anyone to interrupt the meeting until it is time for a lunch break. There is more than enough food and refreshments to keep us going until such time" She motioned at the carefully laid table before continuing with a pleasant smile. "Unfortunately you will find no alcohol there Lord Harrold. We need everyone as sober as the grave." She teased charmingly the old Lord of the Vale, who huffed indignantly but offered little in protest otherwise. Lord Arryn's love for fine wines and ales was well known throughout Westeros. "Now for the talks themselves. Each candidate will have an hourglass to present their claim and we shall hold a debate and come to a decision through a consensus. Much like the candidates, the debate speakers will have half an hourglass time to express their opinions, ask questions and so forth. I will be making sure the times are kept and that conversation remains civil." A brief side glance to her brother as she brought forth the hourglass in question was meant to stress the importance of the talks remaining as civil as possible. Just like Lord Arryn's love of alcohol, Young wolf's temper was also well known.
"So I would like to ask for the candidates to come forth so we may begin..."

It was to be expected that the Warden of the North came forth but the Lords of the Vale, Riverlands and Reach remained silent. Eddard had secured the later couple's allegiance and Vale was kin but the old man was a fox. He would rather wait and see who the candidates were so he could choose who to align himself with. Lady Dayne announcing her intention to claim the Throne was a surprise to Cat. Dorne had always been uninterested in crown politics and was perfectly content with itself. However, in Lady Dayne's own words, it was time for Westeros to change and stop clinging to the Long Night past. It would only remain to be seen if that was to be the case. Eddard's claim rested on the alliances and blood ties that were forged during the events of the Long Night.

--------------------
Alvia had been caught off guard by Eloise's insecurity but had replied nonetheless. It was the doe's eyes and attitude. She might have lost her baby fat, but the rest of her remained the same. The handmaiden had mostly stayed on the background as she had ought to do, but when her Lady needed reassurance as they grew closer to reuniting her with her brother, Alvia was there to act. A warm, reassuring look and a gentle squeeze of the hand that clung so tightly to her own hoped would do the trick.

Yet Alvia herself felt uncomfortable as they were let inside the mansion by an Ironborn noble. Her gut feeling was screaming to her that the man was not to be trusted. He was dangerous. But she had to believe he would not do anything to them. Not while in the presence of a foreign ambassador and under the roof of a Stark.

----------------------
Torsten had watched Zea pace endlessly, yet he was deep in his own thoughts to pay too much attention to the woman's heated argument with their new landlord. Being wanted for murder, he knew he had no choice but to hide and escape. Hoping Eloise would actually be alright in the hands of the man. His hand paused petting Nya to keep her calm when Zea suggested they end their cumbersome partnership. "That would have been a smart idea if you could pass unnoticed. Your eyes are a dead giveaway. You can't hide and you have no weapons." Raising a hand to keep her from cussing at him and tell him off for not considering her capable of protecting herself, he continued. "I am not saying you cannot handle yourself in a fight, but you have better chances with me around." He concluded and stayed put, his petting of the dog resuming.

Unfortunately for him, he had no idea that there were more people looking for them besides the city guard and by the time they both realized it, it had been too late. At least the dog had managed to get away instead of being killed on the spot by the soldiers.

-----------------
OOC: Ok ya all. Quick, shitty post to get things moving. Feel free to have people announce their candidacy, maybe argue their case a little or you can skip and say the meeting was interrupted just as one of the NPCs or ya all's speech is coming to an end. If ya need me you know where to find me. You have creative license to start shenanigans!
 
  • According to Plan
Reactions: Ritual Lobotomy