Manse of the Three Dragons

[The Stranger]

An opulent and palatial estate on the outskirts of Pentos, where numerous servants bustle back and forth, and guards watch the walls, in a professional boredom. The Manse begins with a courtyard heavy with flowering trees of every kind, and than opens into a wide patio where the three take their breakfast beside a fountain. Behind is the Manse proper, with three wings, each belong to one of the three triplets.

[Horas]

That morning, a single man walks to the gates, his face covered with a smooth red mask favored by some sects in the Shadow beyond Asshai. The man speaks to the guards at the gates, who summons a superior. After several more minutes of quiet talk with the guard captain, the masked man is admitted.

The guard captain goes to deliver the news to the three dragons. "A visitor to see you, my lord and ladies," the captain says, "He requests to speak with you in the privacy of your solar."

[The Stranger]

The triplets are on the patio. Rhaegar, Aellion and Rhaenys were reclining together on an over stuffed day bed, wearing matching gold embrodiered tunics, Rhaeny's much shorter than her brothers. Aellion, by comparison, sat with his feet up on the fountain's edge, wearing a vest showing off a well defined, hairless chest.

"Let's not go to the solar, its dreadfully stuffy at this time of day. Tell the man to come out here." says Rhaegar, his sister shakes her head in agreement, as she eats a grape from a bunch laying near by.

[The Smith]

Aellion throws his long silver hair back over his shoulder and pouts. Staring into the fountain he seems dreafully bored.

[Horas]

The guard bows, but says, "The man requested total privacy, my lords and lady. He would not give his name, but he claims he is a friend of our deceased benefactor with something very important to discuss. He gave the necessary passwords to verify this. I shall bring him here if you wish to recieve him here regardless."

[The Smith]

Aellion glared at the man, and ran his long fingernails down the legs of his pants.

[The Stranger]

"Ugh, I am absolutely not getting up from this position," Rhaenys says, "I couldn't possibly. far to comfortable."

"If he wants to speak to us, he can speak to us here. If we really must go to the solar, than we will do that after he introduces himself." Rhaegar says. "And not before."

[Horas]

The guard leader nods and turns to leave. A few minutes later he returns, escorting the masked man. The masked man pulls up a chair and sits down without asking. "Do not wander too far, Ser Orys," he tells the guard captain, who nods and complies with surprising obedience to a man he has only just met.

The masked man turns his head to look at each triplet in turn, though his expressions cannot be read for obvious reasons.

"The last dragons," the man says finally. "Do you enjoy this lifestyle?"

[The Smith]

Aellion scoffs, "Hardly. We should be ruling in the Red Keep, not locked away like chicken." He shoots an angry look at his brother.

[The Stranger]

Rhaegar looks up from feeding his sister fruit, to stare at the mask man, with something akin to interest.

"We are not accustomed to being addressed by masked ruffians. You will identify yourself now, or we shall have you escorted out."

[Horas]

The masked man looks at Aellion. "Indeed. I find I concur with you, though I trust you have been comfortable enough."

He turns to Rhaegar next, and removes his mask. "My name is Horas Blackwood. A pleasure to finally meet you."

[The Stranger]

Rhaegar frowns as if trying to recall, "is there a reason that name should sound familiar?"

[The Smith]

Aellion screams, "He works for the Betrayor!!! He works for the Brat of the Baratheons!!!" He points a long purple finger nail at Horas that is quivering.

[The Stranger]

Rhaegar's eyes widen as Aellion screams, as his face turns white with fear. "Betrayer!' he squeals, as he holds his sister tightly to his chest as if preparing for his last moments.

[Horas]

"I did," Horas acknowledges Aellion calmly. "I am also the owner of this estate, and the employer of your servants and guards. I have kept you safe from those who would harm you for quite some time. But I believe it is past time you began working to take back your kingdom."