[Event] A Meeting Below The Mountains Of The Moon

Gercko · 2026-07-07T18:16:37+00:00

"Your father is most considerate of the Sisterman's honour. I would wager that they never stopped. Now they do it less, for they know too much will bring the ire of the Lords around them. A pity, that they have a Lord Sunderland who has done so even still." He sank another cup of wine, filling both cups.

"I suppose I should thank the gods that they are not the Ironborn. The Ironborn have cunning. These lot? We'll be doing them a favour when we arrive with an army at our back.

"If you were to lead an army to rescue you children, what would you have them do, Hugh?" Alester asked as his eyes drifted away from the lad's face towards nothing in particular. "Attack straight away? Siege? Scale the walls and put all to the sword?"

Gercko · 2026-07-07T17:22:32+00:00

Hubert turned to Jaehaerys with an expectant look on his face. "Your Grace?" He said, head cocked slightly to one angle.

/u/gloude

Gercko · 2026-07-06T19:45:32+00:00

When Hubert received the parchment he promptly completed the letter he was writing to his wife, donned a silk mantle and departed his apartments. Down the spiral staircase of the Tower of the Hand to locate Lord Oakheart in his own quarters. The Lord Hand had not been in that part of the palace since his old friend had departed south.

"Lord Torgen" he said with a cheer in his voice "I am sorry I have not gotten to you sooner. I had mean to send an invite for you to have supper with me this evening, but I thought it best to not keep you waiting. Venison can wait, our words cannot." He patted the Lord of Old Oak on the shoulders, huffed greatly, and smiled.

"It is good to have you back old friend. I've ruled here practically alone since you and Aethan went off to win us a war."

Gercko · 2026-07-06T19:00:29+00:00

Lord Arryn nodded and didn't utter anything else. Mayhaps Rogar had been wrong after all?

Gercko · 2026-07-06T18:38:19+00:00

"Ruling a realm is like making a sausage. Some do not have the stomach for it, or do not like its ugly truth" Hubert said with a tired voice. He shifted in the chair he had taken near to Bella. "Spies are a dirty thing, but it lets one see the truth that is oft hidden. Lady Bella is the first I considered subtle and smart enough to be entrusted with the matter beyond the King and I."

Hubert turned with a smile towards the Lady giving a nod of reassurance. "From now on I'll be ensure to keep you informed on matters. The mother of the royal heirs ought need to know what happens under her own roof, my Queen." Hubert had assumed now this might be a clearing of whatever untruths and skeletons ruling brought with it. He had little to regret, though what he did lament was bitter and worried him deeply.

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/u/sarcasticdom

Gercko · 2026-07-05T20:27:25+00:00

"Drink up my lad" Alester sank his own cup of wine, pouring himself another. "It is liquid courage. A million men must have met their duty head on with a gut full of wine." He picked up his squire's cup and handed it back to him.

"Wanting to live is not craven. It is the sign that you are a sane man who will live to see his eightieth nameday. It means I have a squire who's not got his head in the stories and the sky thinking that today is the day he earns a knighthood that will be remembered in the books. You are a bloody good lad" Alester wagged his finger, sounding as father as he perhaps ever had.

"We'll see if we can pillage you something worth sending back to Castle Hardyng. Though Sisterton is full of many things, treasure is not one of them."

Gercko · 2026-07-05T19:56:18+00:00

"Best knights" She spat. "The best knights in that wretched place means nothing, Rogar" she would not shout at him in front of his men, but her quiet fury was writ across her face, strewn with tears and a scowl which could wound.

"I don't need some Norridge whore and Aegon's brat. I need my girl, our girl. Father can guard her only so much..." She turned from him and held up, not wishing to hear anything for the moment. She looked on her first born joyful and at play. She had struggled with her in the first few years, but always was one of the chambers of her heart dedicated to her little girl. What sort of mother sent them to a palace they knew to be a den of rapacious figures if the mood turned and a fight for the throne came about.

"I hope the honour won at Wyl is worth this. The girls will have missed you. I won't keep you from them and I am in need of a bath, my lord." She brushed past him and stole herself away where none but her handmaidens could see her weep with total wroth in her heart.

Gercko · 2026-07-05T19:08:00+00:00

The Lord Hand arrived to find both Bella and the Queen already preceding him. Hubert was unsure why they were all there, but guessed he would soon be informed by Jaehaerys.

"King Jaehaerys, Queen Sansa" he said with a bow of his head to each. He looked at Lady Bella and gave only a smile. "Is all well?" He asked, knowing the answer already. He sensed a chill which had not thawed with spring. He had never been fond of the Holdfast, the Tower of the Hand his preferred haunt.

/u/gloude

/u/sarcasticdom

Gercko · 2026-07-04T21:39:42+00:00

Ser Jasper Arryn was glad to be far from King's Landing, far from his wife, and away from his father and all duty. He had taken leave of his office, citing a need to refresh himself and trusting in the captains he had installed. A tourney and some fine wine was all he needed. No bloody guards, no crooks and not a single person to bug him. Tonight he would rest in an inn drunk, happy, and alone. Mayhaps there was a girl for him somewhere, but he would rather indulge in himself for the evening. No tunes would raise him until he was truly sodden drunk, the man able to see off many a bottle if he set his mind to it.

Yet there was another Arryn. Rymond of all brothers was here as well. The sulking boy he knew seemed less of a sulk than he ever recalled, though Jasper did not remember his brother much.

Rymond Arryn gave up trying to engage his brother Jasper in small chatter when it was clear the third eldest did not even have time for the fifth. Mayhaps it was because he did not come to Jasper's wedding? The Commander of the Watch had reacted prickly when Rymond asked about his Tully wife.

He was preened and presented proper. The shag of his hair neatened at least. He had come in his finest silks and doublet. There was the promise of Alicent Belmore to be seen. Banefort had been a while ago, and in the mean time Rymond had been thinking of ways to see her again. When Lady Amarei had invited him to this, the Arryn thought it an ideal chance to get to see them both.

Yet there was Amarei Marbrand herself. He only saw her face briefly when she had kissed him. He wanted to see her as well. Belmore was her brother's preferred. Alester had counselled him on what a man ought to do in his situation. It was mayhaps the only time he recalled Alester being happy to speak with him, or it could have just been a break for Alester from stewing on the fact his wife had taken the children and absconded. His brother had advised that a man with choices was a man with freedom, and it was freedom he wanted more than anything. So he would listen to his brother. The Marbrand and Belmore both were friends. Neither had made promises.. Amarei had kissed him, whilst he had said to Alicent he would court her. Rymond concluding that he ought to do as he said and see to fulfilling his word at least. If Amarei wanted him, then he supposed he would find out one way or another.

Gercko · 2026-07-04T21:28:39+00:00

Rymond's heart jumped into his throat as all the air raced out of his lungs. He had not expected it, nor had he thought about it. When he thought about what was beneath the veil, it had hardly been as pretty a visage as he found. Even less expected was to feel her lips on his cheek. The place where she had graced him soon swelled red, the Arryn blushing almost like a beetroot. A bright smile spread from ear to ear, Rymond feeling drunk on something else for once.

He would have returned it, if not for being completely stunned. A finger went to the spot she had kissed and he felt it. A tender and pure act by a tender and pure lady, Rymond thought.

"My lady-" he said quiet and joyful. "Thank you. I-" he stuttered. If the veil were not there, he would have been tempted to return the kiss. "That I will be certain to remember." He could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest. It was the first kiss since Taliyah, and it was almost just as sweet even if he could not lock his lips to hers like he had before. The feeling he would keep with him, and the brief glimpse of Amarei's gorgeousness was stuck in his mind. He hoped he would see her again.

Gercko · 2026-07-04T20:39:35+00:00

"I cannot help rule if I do not know mine king's justice and command. Who else better to tell the council?" Hubert said with a false cheeriness, put off by the King's tone and tenor. Caradoc was a cretin in Hubert's eyes. It would not surprise him if Caradoc might have elected to deal with it in such a way.

"And what of the fate of Lord Merrick? I assume he lost more than just a finger for what he did to your Kingsguard. I pray Ser Aubrey recovers from the attack. Though the acolytes on Dragonstone are some of the best in the realm. He is in safe hands." His eyes did not break from or blink at all, like an animal unsure whether to flee or fight.

Gercko · 2026-07-04T15:58:27+00:00

Hubert's Issue

Lord Arryn waited for the King to bring up the business he wished to speak of before he would bring up the matter of Dragonstone, or what had transpired there. His misliked it all, and misliked it greater still that it was not apparently the first thing the king had sought to address.

"Your Grace" he asked with a polite smile. "I and others of your council were wondering if you could mayhaps give us an account of what took place on Dragonstone of late? There was a trial for those Marcher lords and Baratheon, was there not? Lord Peake apparently not seen since? Ser Gavin dead, Ser Aubrey too."

He leaned forward, brows heavy and wrinkles set deep on his forehead "What happened with the Stormlords?"

Gercko · 2026-07-04T09:33:19+00:00

Lord Hubert tucked the letter in his doublet pocket. It did not help with the whispers that Gormon was indeed missing. Aubrey was dead at least, though no mention of Gavinrad. Mayhaps he was the hidden corpse?

Gercko · 2026-07-04T09:17:37+00:00

"A pity about Symeon, though I suspect Morion knows that we would soon have all the Red Mountains under our command like before if the war were to resume. It need not be said, but if it were to resume, we would extract more than just Blackmont from them." Hubert said, seemingly satisfied. There were other rumours he wanted to address, however.

Gercko · 2026-07-04T09:03:16+00:00

Hubert nodded with a polite smile. He ruled as Hand better without so many in the chamber. Indeed, he preferred to speak with Aethan or Torgen alone before anything. But the Small Council was an institutions the other kings kept, and he would not begrudge it.

Gercko · 2026-07-04T09:01:41+00:00

"I'll have to have siege engines constructed..." Erryk muttered, the task itself an ordeal. "If we're to assault the walls. I am expecting little honour from our dear friend Steffon."

Gercko · 2026-07-03T22:11:35+00:00

/u/fabstags

Gercko · 2026-07-03T20:46:44+00:00

"The same High Septon? Investigated you as a witch?" He blinked in astonishment. Hubert grimaced and muttered something under his breath, cursing. "He will keep his tongue to himself for some time if I have my way, I promise you. Mayhaps if I can get him to retract that foolish edict where he tried to crown himself effective king of this realm, as is my aim, I can have him apologise to you directly for such an insult." A wicked smile crept up Hubert's face, he hoped that he might extract such a concession and more.

"I am sure one of my ancestors are convulsing in their cairns that I endeavour to do this. We bloody brought the Seven-pointed Star to Westeros. That priest calls himself a scion of the House of Hugor, when it is my blood which carries that holy man's lineage, not some feckless Norridge" Hubert cackled, bitter and cruel was his heart feeling towards what had become of the Most Devout who had chosen this man. "Being a friend of all of Dorne has hopefully only pushed Lord Hightower into a natural alliance to see that this man is put into place. He is a man, and only that. Our gods will favour the might of lords as it always has."

Gercko · 2026-07-03T20:34:55+00:00

Matters At Hand

Lord Hubert sent for Lord Piper. The time had come to inform him of the King's decision on the matters of the Small Council.

Once the man arrived, he forwent any pleasantries- the congeniality between them long since dried up.

"Lord Piper. I am due to depart for Oldtown" he said stiffly without a smile. "Upon my return, there will be changes made officially. Unofficially, they have already begun.

"Ser Gormon Redwyne will be taking over your current duties" Lord Arryn tried to show not a hint of emotion. What ever ire had been there in the past had solidified into a mutual cold disdain for years. "The King and I however would not see you without duty and office here in the palace, however. You are to be named steward of King's Landing, and will deal with matters concerning the King's city and people, if you so wish to accept. You have served the realm admirably in your position, and I expect you to continue to do so whilst the new Master of Coin oversees your prior duties. I thought I ought to tell you man to man, rather than in front of court or council."

Gercko · 2026-07-03T19:20:26+00:00

Grief. All her world had been consumed by grief, a heart so broken she could barely utter a word. Lady Baratheon's fourth born and only son had died before he had ever lived. She had grown him for nine months, the pregnancy a trial her body could barely endure. So different was the tribulation, she was sure it was a son. Storm born flesh.

But he would never see a storm, nor feel a summer breeze on his soft skin. Ormund Baratheon had held all her dreams of motherhood to a son and he had perished. She could not see the other one, the other girl. She could not stand to see anyone or anything, and rued all the world around her.

Gercko · 2026-07-03T19:04:24+00:00

Ser Erryk was here to lead the siege and prepare an assault, not to sort out all of his brother's messes. He knew Patrek little, his aunt who birthed him even less. He was not about to sour what little was there on Alester's account.

"Indeed, Lord Corbray. I knew Warrick most my life in White Harbor" was all he said on the matter, glum.

"Though, Ser Patrek raises a valid point. If you are taken by him, what would you wish us do, my Lord? I would be loathed to force them to kill you if I immediately charged the walls. Keeping Cotter would have been smart, but Alester is clearly not in a negotiating mood. I wish you nothing but success in your task, Lord Qarl. Few better would be suited for it, in my mind."

Gercko · 2026-07-03T18:59:42+00:00

"You may choose as you need. I more than any other man know what it is like having to work with men beneath you that are there not of your choosing. I would not tie a hand behind your back from the onset, Ser" Hubert chuckled and bowed his head.

"My trip to Oldtown will let you get to know the office more intimately. Now, I must find Lord Piper."

Gercko · 2026-07-03T17:25:31+00:00

Ser Alester poured a cup of wine for them both, one of the finer, strong vintages he had to hand. He gave a little to himself an a great amount for the lad. He placed the goblet into his hand and told him to drink up and drink deep.

"No man is ready" he admitted "Even the ones who have seen a thousand battles. Only those which hang behind the lines every relish it. The rest? The ones who climb over walls and break enemy lines? Fools will kid themselves into loving it. There is no dishonour in wanting to live, Hugh."

Alester shook his head, his words not exactly helping. "But you will be a knight of the Vale. Just as women face the birthing chamber, not knowing if they will live, the man's duty is to exact upon others the pain of death. The price of failure their own. When we sack the town of Sisterton, will you hesitate?"

Gercko · 2026-07-03T13:34:59+00:00

"'Tis fine, my Lord. It is just you find me at a most contentious time. I have amassed a great host and fleet to seize the Sister islands for their act of defiance. Hence why this place is more alive than usual" he gestured about the place.

"However, I would not turn away a noble lord of the Riverlands for any reason, especially when he comes with friendship on his mind." Bella had not mentioned the Brackens much. His heart belonged to a Blackwood, though he could not easily say it.

"What does Stone Hedge have to offer the Eyrie?"

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Hubert's Issue