Chapter 41: Chapter 24: A Lion Does Not Bow (Vaemond, Loren Lannister, Matarys)
๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐จ๐ง, ๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐
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The smell of dirt, sap, moss and damp leaves filled the air as the King and his retinue made their way through the Kingswood at a leisurely pace.
The Kingswood was different than the pine bogs of Crackclaw Point,and in a welcome way. It was younger and more open, much of the forest had been burned down in his fathers conquest by his aunt Rhaenys dragon, and as such many of the trees were young and fresh.
''The peasants have killed near all the game.'' Ser Gawen Corbray said with frustration, Vaemond was not overly strict with regulating hunting on the Kingswood, and even allowed the peasants that inhabited the woods to hunt to their heart's content.''
''You exaggerate Ser Gawen, we are barely into the depths of the Kingswoodโฆ.be patient'' Vaemond replied, they were only a few hours into the hunt.
The King had realized he and his Kingsguard needed a break and had organized a week-long expedition into the Kingswood. It was his first time back in the forests since he had gotten word of his son Aelyx's illness, he had expected there to be some eerie feelings upon returning but he had not anticipated the dreams, which had kept him from getting a good sleep and made him somewhat irritable.
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''Ayeโฆ.everyone knows the biggest game is found in the center of the forest, and if you dont stop your whining then you will scare off all the game.'' Ser Roland Crakehall, an avid hunter, said to the older man with annoyance.
Ser Gawen Corbray bristled at that and was about to respond when Roland pointed into the brush.
''There, I saw a flash of movement.'' Ser Roland said.
Vaemond nodded to the dismounted huntsmen, who approached the brush with boar spears, waiting for the King's signal to advance.
''It looked taller than a boarโฆ.perhaps a red hart, I just saw a flash of movement.'' Ser Roland said, studying the forest for any further signs of movement.
After a few moments when no further movement was seen, the King nodded ''Whatever it is, it has the sense to remain hidden, I think it's time to get a closer look.''
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Vaemond began to dismount, planning to grab one of the boar spears from the huntsman when suddenly there was a whizzing sound and the King felt a woosh of air go by his head as he dismounted.
His horse gave a horrible screech, crumpling to its knees, and it was just then that Vaemond understood, seeing a feathered arrow protruding from its neck.
''Protect the King!.'' Shouted Corlys Velaryon, already dismounted and unslinging his kite shield from his horse.
His Kingsguard formed a wall around him, looking into the forests, but there was no sound and no movement, only the call of a distant woodpecker.
''He's fledโฆ..likely it's too late but lets pursue him but we should give it an attempt.'' Vaemond said, gently pushing past his Kingsguard and heading into the forest.
๐ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด Vaemond thought ruefully as they slowly made their way through the forest in search of the archer. Vaemond was not a hunter that enjoyed the use of hounds, the hunt was over too quick, too easy, the King enjoyed slowly stalking game as opposed to wildly chasing it through the brush but he had to admit they would have proven useful in this current situation.
The woods opened up in front of them, countless directions where the archer could have fled.
''We've lost himโฆ.he's crossed the creek, we've no way of knowing where'' Vaemond was forced to admit as they came to a riverbank, even if they had brought hounds the man's scent would have been taken by the shallow riverbed.
''Not quite your Grace.'' Roland Crakehall said with a grin, the big man hunching down, his hands on the wet leafy ground.
''Speak your mind.'' Vaemond said with interest.
''He didn't cross the river, look at this patch of leaves that's been disturbed, he kicked them in a panic to get away.'' Roland said, getting up and dusting the leaves off of his armor.
''He could have done that on purpose, to throw us off his scent.'' Corlys said with a grunt.
''Only one way to find out.'' Vaemond said, gesturing to his Kingsguard to follow the Riverbank.
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They followed it for a few minutes, Ser Roland pointing out further signs of the man's flight that gave credence to the idea he had not crossed the river.
As they continued down the riverbank , Ser Roland, at the head of the column, suddenly stopped.
''Hes close.'' He said.
''How do you knowโฆ..some old hunting trick?'' Vaemond asked.
The big man smiled at the muddy riverbank, which had a pair of fresh footprints leading down to a log beside the creek.
Gawen Corbray, Lady Forlorn in hand, scampered down the decline towards the log.
The archer, knowing the game was up, suddenly appeared from behind the log and loosed an arrow.
Ser Gawen, with impressive agility managed to roll to the side, the arrow thudding harmlessly against the mud embankment.
The would-be assassin desperately tried to nock another arrow, but the Kingsguard was quickly upon him.
''We need him alive!'' Vaemond shouted as he and the rest of the Kingsguard hurried down the embankment.
Gawen punched the man full in the nose with a gauntlet of plate steel, the man desperately tried to wriggle away but Ser Gawens fist met him straight in the teeth, ending any notions of an escape.
The man coughed a pink mixture of blood and teeth to the dirt, while Ser Gawen drew a broad bladed dagger from his sword belt and put it under the man's eye.
''Talk or I take your eye.'' Ser Gawen hissed.
Vaemond, who had finally made it down the embankment with the rest of his Kinsguard approached the man, a hand on Blackfyre.
''I suggest you heed Ser Gawens warning assassinโฆ.I give you my word if you tell it true i'll allow you to take the blackโฆthough i fear they would find an archer of yourโฆ.skill of little use.'' Vaemond said.
Ser Gawen pressed the dagger closer to the man's eye ''Say the word.''
''Tell it all and tell it trueโฆ.or I will allow Ser Gawen Corbray to do as he wishes.'' Vaemond warned.
''Lord Lannisterโฆ..it was Lord Lannister.'' The man said breathlessly.
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๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ค,
๐๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ
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Loren Lannister stood on the balcony of the tower, overlooking the vastness of the Sunset Sea, the sky as golden as the golden lion that adorned the banners of the tower.
Sumner Crakehall stood behind him,strong, broad shouldered and nearly seven feet tall he stood, his long white hair shaking in the wind. Lord Rickard Reyne was present as well, a huge white beard covering his fleshy chin and jowls, though they did little to hide the scars Lord Reyne had sustained upon the field of fire over two decades prior.
''A raven from the capitolโฆ.I trust you know its contents'' Sumner Crakehall said curtly.
Loren nodded at that, his eyes not leaving the vastness of the sunset sea.
''I shall read it all the same.'' Crakehall said, unfurling the scroll.
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''By the order of King Vaemond Targaryen, first of his name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, Lord Paramount Loren Lannister, Lord of the Westerlands and Warden of the West is summoned to King's Landing to stand before the charge of attempting to murder his Grace, the King. If Lord Paramount Loren Lannister heeds these summons he will be given the opportunity to take the black and serve as a brother of the Night's Watch, forfeiting all lands and titles to his firstborn son Damon Lannister, failure to present himself will be seen as an act of defiance leading to war.'' Sumner Crakehall read slowly.
''Lord Paramount...'' Loren began quietly, his voice dripping with venom.
''For two decades I have suffered that damnable titleโฆ..for two decades I have bided my time'' He continued before pausing, his eyes gazing at a passing ship.
''I was a King onceโฆ.before my crown was taken from me upon the field of fire, but the Targaryen dragons are weak, Balerion and Aegon were swallowed by our own seas, the boy kings mothers is dead and her dragon roams free, and his aunt lays dying of cancer in Storms End.'' Loren continued.
''The three children all have dragons of their own.'' Sumner replied.
''Suckling babes, if the boy is fool enough to bring them to battle a lance to their heart will end their line once and for all.'' Rickard Reyne said confidently.
''Vaemond offers me my life, a place among the night's watch, no doubt his idea of charityโฆbut he seems to have forgotten that the Lannisters always pay their debts, and I owe the crown a large debt for the field of fireโฆI do not take what life is offeredโฆI shall make my own.'' Loren said.
''My lord?'' Sumner asked.
''Send a raven to Vaemond Targaryen that Loren Lannister, King of the Rock and Westerlands denies his summons, inform him that he is to return my old crown to Casterly Rock within the fortnight in exchange for my hostageโฆ.and inform him if he is so eager for a war then he is free to march west, and be the second Targaryen King to meet his end here.'' The King of the Rock said, a hint of a smile forming on his aged face.
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''Shall I raise the banners Loren?'' Rickard Reyne said, a look of approval on his face.
Loren nodded ''All fifty thousand of them.''
''You mentioned a hostage?'' Sumner Crakehall said with confusion.
''Matarys Targaryen is currently in Fair Isle being hosted by Lord Robert Farman, send a raven to Lord Farman and have him seize the princeling. I will exchange him for the crown of the Rock which the Targaryens stole from meโฆ..after he spends the war in a dungeon of course.'' Loren said.
''A clever planโฆ.the lamb has wandered into the snakepit.'' Sumner said with a chuckle.
''The Lion Pitโฆ.Lord Crakehallโฆthe Lion pit.'' Loren responded, the hint of a smile returning to his face.
''Rickardโฆyou have many preparations to makeโฆ.Lord Crakehall, summon Maester Kenrick, he will be writing a great many ravens todayโฆif it comes to war with young Vaemond Targaryen, the Westerlands will not stand alone.''
Both lords nodded and went to see to their tasks.
Loren returned to the balcony, the golden sky mixing with the red horizon, the colors of his house.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ธ Loren Lannister thought to himself as the passing ship made its way further out to sea.
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๐๐ฐ๐จ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ
๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฅ๐, ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐
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Lord Farman kept a fine table. New courses being served as frequently as waves on a beach. Breaded cod, jellied eels, oysters, and roasted seabirds making up much of the feast's courses, served alongside warm bread.
Matarys had always been an individual of exceptional appetite, and that appetite had not diminished now that he sat as the guest of honor within Fair Isle, which meant Matarys was served the courses second only to Lord Farman and his wife, Lady Tarbeck, the choicest parts of the courses still remaining.
Matarys enjoyed each feast thoroughly, gorging himself until the point of nausea and sometimes beyond, yet thoroughly replenished by the time the next day's feast came around. Ser Garmon Hightower, his Kingsguard escort sat at his right, dutifully making sure to have at least one bite of each course to show his appreciation to their host.
It was to be their last feast, Matarys had scattered his mothers ashes in the sunset sea on one of Lord Farmans galeys the previous day, and they would be leaving upon the morrow. It had been an eerie feeling to be just miles from where his father had died, holding what remained of his mother. Matarys had sensed that he would be afflicted by terrible dreams and had taken some essence of nightshade from Maester Ottyn to avoid them.
The aforementioned Maester, a man with a thick brown beard approached Lord Farman and whispered in his ear.
Lord Farman stood suddenly and turned to Matarys and Ser Garmon ''Pray excuse me.''
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Matarys paid him little mind, that just meant there was one less person to share the next course with, Ser Garmon Hightower watched him leave with suspicion however.
''It must be an important raven to make Lord Farman to forget his courtesies, it is most irregular to leave ones guests at table.'' The Kingsguard said quietly.
''Perhaps he had to shit.'' Matarys said between bites, a bit too loudly and Lady Tarbeck looked at him oddly.
Ser Garmon did not look convinced but dutifully cut himself a small portion of the next course of lobster.
Matarys found himself thinking of his unborn child, wondering if it would be a boy or a girl.
๐ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ต ๐ช๐ด Matarys swore to himself.
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Lord Farman had returned, his face paler than usual.
''Lord Matarysโฆ.there was a raven, I would ask you to join me in my solar.'' The man said quietly.
Matarys struggled out from his chair, his belt buckle straining, Ser Garmon Hightower followed close behind.
The trio made their way up a circling flight of stairs to Lord Farmans solar, which had an open air window overlooking the sunset sea.
''I received a raven from my liege lord Loren Lannister in Casterly Rockโฆ..a raven detailing certain instructions.'' Lord Farman said.
''Instructions?'' Matarys inquired.
''Instructions to take you into custody, and deliver you to Casterly Rock where you will be imprisonedโฆ.it shall likely come to war between your brother and my liege lordโฆyou are to be a hostage.'' Lord Farman said, grabbing the back of his chair, which was topped by two small silver ships with two hands.
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Matarys had no idea of how to respond to that, and found himself studying the small specks of the feast that still adorned Lord Farmans jerkin.
Ser Garmon Hightower responded first ''You understand that by warning me of this beforehand, as a member of the Kingsguard I am honor bound to defend Prince Matarys, even if it should it mean my death.''
''I admire your dedication to your oath Ser Garmon.'' Lord Farman said.
Suddenly a realization came to Matarys's mind ''When we came to your hall, you welcomed us with bread and salt, we are protected by guest right.''
Lord Farman gave a small nod ''I am aware Princeโฆ..It is because of this I will not be following my Lord of Lannisters instructions.''
''You won't?'' Matarys said with relief.
Lord Farman made his way to the window ''I am a man that takes my oaths very seriously, I swore an oath to Loren Lannister as his vassalโฆ.but I also swore an oath to your brother the King as wellโฆ..and to your father.''
''You knew him?'' Matarys asked.
Lord Farman nodded slowly ''My castle was the last place your father visited before he perishedโฆ..I was the last of his vassals he ever conversed withโฆ..I admired him, in the short time I knew him I found him to be a just and wise Kingโฆand I will not repay the honor he showed my house with his visit by betraying him and condemning his son to a dungeon cell in the bowels of Casterly Rock.''
''Your words are a testament to your temperament Lord Farman.'' Ser Garmon said graciously.
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''I shall arrange a fishing sloop to take both you and Ser Garmon north to Seaguard in the Riverlandsโฆ.and I shall inform Lord Lannister you both slipped away before you could be apprehended.'' Lord Farman continued.
''And what of my men, I have a sizable escort.'' Matarys questioned.
''The only ships large enough to transport the hundred knights that rode with you are ships of my own fleet, if you two were too slip away I could conceivably say you acted alone, but if you and your entire escort were to escapeโฆIm afraid I would not be able to feign ignorance.'' Lord Farman said sadly.
''They are good men, loyal men.'' Matarys protested.
''I am sorryโฆ.I shall see that they are treated gently and given the opportunity to ransom themselves as befits their rank.'' Lord Farman replied.
Matarys was silent at that.
''In truthโฆ..I care little for my own life, but if my liege Lord should find out about my involvement I fear for my familyโฆ.I have two daughtersโฆthey are all that remain to me after my son's death'' The Lord of Faire Isle said.
''Send them north to Seaguard, I shall have my own wife educate them in the capitolโฆ.I swear that they shall remain safeโฆ.but I am not leaving without my menโฆ.your oath of guest right applies to them as much as me, either all of us leave or none of us.' Matarys said with determination.
Lord Farman was silent for a good long while before at last he nodded ''I shall provide you with one of my war galleysโฆI will not break my oathsโฆ.but I shall hold you to your own oath that my daughters remain safe.''
''I swear on my honor you shall be repaid for this when the war ends.'' Matarys pledged.
''Fulfilling one's duty does not require payment my Prince, it will be enough for me that you would inform him of what has happened here today, the men of house Farman will fight on opposite sides of the field from the Dragon Banner, I ask he consider my actions here today when the time for judgment comes at the war's end.'' Lord Farman said.
''My brother is a generous manโฆ.he will not forget your honor.'' Matarys promised.
''If you mean to take your entire guard with you you must leave tonight while the castle sleeps and not in the morrow, I will have your galley provisioned and ready by midnight.'' Lord Farman said.
Ser Garmon nodded acknowledgement at that.
Lord Farman extended a hand and Matarys, ignoring it, embraced the man as a son might a father.
The Lord of Fair Isle was too shocked to do much else but awkwardly stood there before gently disentangling himself.
''Fair winds Prince.'' Lord Farman said as Matarys and the Kingsguard left the hall.
That night, while the castle slept, the galley Blue Wind quietly disembarked from the docks of Fair Isle, heading north to Seaguard, where Matarys and Ser Garmon could do little but hope the Tullys would remain loyal.
War had come to Westeros.
Weekly Power Status
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