Horn Hill

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

The Ancestral Home of House Tarly. This opposing keep is near the border of the Mander Reach, the Stormlands and Dorne.

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

Lord Alexander Irwyn his sworn sword Ser Gilbert Flowers and Ser Steffan Florent arrive along with the 8,000 men of the Far Reach Expeditionary Force which make camp outside the keep.

[The Flint]

Lady Anne Varner and Ser Torn arrive with an entourage. She is escorted to the command tent where she awaits Lord Irwyn.

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

"Lady Anne, how nice to see you so soon," Alexander says with a smile. "Off to King's Landing then?"

[The Flint]

"Yes. The Princess of Dorne is in King's Landing. She seems to spend more time there than Sunspear, I can't imagine why." Anne breaks a small smile. "I wanted to speak with you on a few matters before I left the Far Reach, if that would be alright?"

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

"Of course. . . my ears are always open and my hand always ready to help if needed, Lady Varner," Alex says.

[The Flint]

Anne looked around at the guards, "What I have to say is for your ears only milord. Could you dismiss your people?"

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

Alexander waves to the few men in his tent and they depart. "Please go on."

[The Flint]

Ser Torn blocks the entrance to the tent, and keeps out a watchful eye, and Lady Anne begins.

"What I tell you is for your ears, and none other. Not your loving wife, or even loyal Ser Gilbert...Francis lives."

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

Alexander sat down on his field stool. He would of thought it a joke had it not come from Lord Varner's wife's lips. Lord Irwyn tries to say something but the words don't come out. While he probably should of asked a hundred other questions, the only one that Alexander could blurt out was, "How?"

[The Flint]

"I don't know exactly. The body that was delivered to me was not his, and he reached me several weeks ago, by courier. I can send messages back to him through the same man but only in the most limited way. I wanted to dance for joy, and all I can do is wear this stupid shawl and mope. He says he must be believed dead for the time being, but that when it is safe he will return to us. In the mean time we must proceed as we have so far."

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

"Well leave it to a weasel to enter the rat's den and not get bit," Alexander says. "He's probably the one man in the kingdom with an inkling of whats going on and now he's under cover." Alexander rises from his stool, "Who else besides you and Ser Torn are aware?"

[The Flint]

"Lord Horas knows, and my brother Roland, but that is all. Even they should not be spoken to on this matter. There is a great risk in speaking idly, even here. But as Francis' most loyal and strongest bannerlord, you needed to be told. You will be going into a vermin's nest up in the Eyrie Alex. Francis had many things to say about Lord Piers' craftiness, most of them unpleasant."

[Ser Kenneth Coyn]

"I see, I know nothing of the man except he stands for the boy King" Alexander paces slightly inside the tent, "So Francis would have me leave Lord Piers amiss of his situation?"

[The Flint]

"His Hand has been told. If he's shared that information with the King's Regent, than far enough. And if he has not, than it isn't our place to mention it. If anyone in the Kingdoms find out on their own merits, it will be Bettley. Have you thought of what you will say to him?"