The Shadow Tower

[Percy Rivers]

Hodrick Royce had sat impassively all this time. Callen had sent him to watch and protect Aranya, finally he spoke up. "Aranya, may I have a word?"

[Deleted]

Aranya led him into another room.

"What is it, great-uncle?"

[The Smith]

elane said:

"Mudd chose the most inopportune time to play peacemaker," Aranya growled. "He marched out unarmed men who can't fight? And for three weeks?

"This is dissolving into madness. We need another loyal Watch castellan to bring men over. One of the black brothers I have with me is Doyle Swann of the Rimewatch, I think. Or a castle that sounded like it had a similar-sounding name. Ser Doyle, who leads Rimewatch, and how many hold it? Do you know if they're loyal to Wull or Mudd?"

She turned back to Lord Wull. "I have only fifty knights in my company, Lord Wull, but they are not unskilled. I will add them to your forces, but first we must see exactly how large our resistance will be. We can't march your men out into the terrible winter only to have them turn back again."

OOC: You play Doyle.

Doyle turns to her and says, "Lord Poole, he follows with the Eastwatch commander, even though he has not sent out men to support Bracken's attacks. We did not even know about this third attack, or the maneuvers in the field that Mudd stopped."

[Percy Rivers]

Hodrick closed the door. "God dammit Aranya control yourself. You've made a fool of yourself ever since we got to the North. I heard about you and Selwyn against the shed. And what happened in the forest. Your the King's representative, start acting like it. The Night's Watch to do not get involved with the affairs of the realm, and the realm does not get involved in the affairs of the Night's Watch. Remember, Callen told us to investigate, not to participate in a bloody coup Aranya." Hodrick sighed, passing a hand through his grey hair. "Listen Aranya, I love you. You're the daughter I never had. But please, for the sake of Callen listen with an impartial ear. We don't know what this commander is up to, for all we know it was he who attacked first. Bracken could be what's best for the Night's Watch right now. I knew him when I was serving the Tullys in Riverrun, and he's not the type this bastard is making him out to be."

[Deleted]

"The Night's Watch can't afford to die out fighting itself," Aranya said. "I would much prefer to just put everyone under Wull peacefully, but it seems that all the men are divided against each other. I can send a rider to learn about Bracken, I suppose.

"If Bracken is a better man...who knows? I can't very well ride between the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch, endless mediating between them. I know the Watch has to be united. If I had my way, I'd have gone out with all of them to look for Wendwater, but I have to go south as soon as this is over. The realm may not interfere with the Night's Watch, but the Night's Watch has never been in this state before. The Lord Commander went off with all his rangers? The other commanders are battling each other? What do you suppose will happen when they have to defend the Wall? And they will have to defend the Wall, perhaps very soon.

"Selwyn and I weren't against a shed, great-uncle. It was against my horse."

[Percy Rivers]

"Regardless, you were making fools of yourselves, I don't care what you do any other time, but when you're on Callen's business try to show some decency. And yes, this has happened in the past, the Night's Watch has gone to war against each other, and they have come dangerously close to destruction." He paused for a moment, "Aranya, there's something I have to tell you, when you leave for the south...I'm staying. Callen asked me...no that's wrong, I told Callen that I was going to take the black. Keep things right up here. He told me I didn't have to, so don't blame this on him. I'm growing old Aranya, I have no wife, no children that I know of. And all I want to do is live out the rest of my days. If I can continue to serve Callen by serving the realm that works too."

[Deleted]

"I'll be an ambassador if Callen behaves like a king who shows respect and gratitude to those who serve him," Aranya's voice grew hard and cold.

She paused when she heard his next words. "You're taking the vows?" Her face grew thoughtful.

[Percy Rivers]

"Don't be ungrateful Aranya, He has legitimized both you and Selwyn, something you never expected to be done. He has given you places in his court, a Valyrian Steel dagger, and Duskendale. I would say he's shown tremendous respect. Enough respect to appoint you as his liason with the watch. And yes, I'm taking the black. Bracken knows me, and respects me, and if we can avoid bloodshed that's all for the better."

[Deleted]

"Then here is my original plan - joint control. I think you can put it back in action now." She told him quietly what it was, for fear of being overheard.

[Deleted]

Aranya went outside discreetly and sent a raven to Mudd at Castle Black - and, as an afterthought, signed the letter, "Lord Selwyn Royce." Then she sent another letter to Bracken.

Then she strode back into Lord Wull's solar.

"My lord, if we are to make you the Acting Commander of the Watch, It is important that you take Castle Black first, and then worry about Eastwatch. You must allow me, Lord Selwyn and my great-uncle to escort you to Castle Black - and I will take care that Mudd does not object or put up a resistance."

[The Smith]

"Yes you are right. To be the next Commander it would do well if I held, Catle Black. I will bring one hundred men, you convince Mudd to let us in, and then it will be mine." He grins and strokes his grey beard. "I will prepare my men."

Wull walks from the room.

[Deleted]

Aranya smiled faintly, took Selwyn's arm, and went to get their knights ready. The ravens had been sent long ago to Castle Black and Eastwatch.

[Ellinda]

"By all the seven hells, it's fucking cold," said all the men of the Shadow Tower. A Dornishman considered suicide as the freezing icy snow storm settled in for the duration. The older men muttered about something being wrong with the weather. Cold winter snow was usually soft. This pissing bitter hail usually happened when it was just freezing but it was well below that. Men were getting frostbite within minutes of being outside.

[Ellinda]

A small party of rangers was missing. They usually reported in once a week but hadn't reported in in three weeks. Although Shadow Tower could ill afford it, they sent out an expedition of 10 well armed men to investigate the happenings.