Post by The Stranger on Jun 22, 2008 1:41:09 GMT -5
Ser Lyle Ferren stares at his hand. Cedric had been on the road for three hours now, and still Ferren sat in his chair replying the conversation they had just had. When Ferren had been summoned to the Rock, he had almost said “no”. For a long time he had been in his own personal exile. He had lost his arm on the bloody sands of Dorne, and a man with out a strong arm was a weak man. He had contemplated killing himself in those dark lonely days. And then Cedric’s call had come.
He still remembered those days of sneaking into the kitchens of the Rock looking for pies with Cedric, and Denard. It almost seemed like he had grown up at the Lannister Keep. He had even squired with Ser Doggett here at the keep. And then he had ridden off to war, from this keep a newly minted knight. He had not wanted to come back.
The summons had come to him as he stared at a sharp knife. He had been contemplating slitting his own throat. His only major concern had been that his left hand would not do the job proper. That he would just scar himself. The summons had set off a new thought. Perhaps throwing himself from the walls of the Rock would be more fitting. He had gathered together his few important belongings then had left.
The moment Ferren had seen the Rock off in the distance his eyes kept moving up to the peak. The end was near, the sweet release. The second he had entered the keep he mounted the walls. He had been staring down the cliff face, and thinking of his late mother when Clive had found him. Just like when they were kids, always doing his brother’s bidding.
Clive had said, “Cedric wants you now, Lyle.”
Lyle looked out over the sights then smiled. “Alright Clive, take me to him.” Clive nodded and turned slowly. For a moment Lyle truly hated him. Clive was the perfect warrior specimen. Muscles upon muscles, and muscles where his brain should be; this idiot has two fucking arms, and I am half a fucking man. He cast one look at the abyss below him, and then followed after Clive.
When Lyle was shown into Cedric’s library he was wondering how much it would hurt when he bounced off the stone cliffs below the walls. Yet the moment he saw his old friend, a smile crept across Ferren’s face. “Hello Ced.”
“Lyle.” Cedric smiled back, “There is a glass of wine for you.”
Lyle looked at the seat and the already poured glass of wine beside it. Sitting down he picked it up and sipped it. Opening his eyes in surprise he looked back up at Cedric, “A Ninety three? You went and wasted the good stuff on me my friend.” Looking around the room he asked, “Where is the rest of the bottle?”
Cedric snickered “In your room, waiting to be served to you by two very young and willing attendants.” Cedric’s smile lightened a little as he added, “If this is to be your last week, it might as well be good.”
Lyle’s head snapped back. His eyes went wide and he stared at the Lannister with a stunned expression. His shaking lips tried to form a word, but none came.
Cedric looked into his friend’s wide eyes and nodded. “I know. I was not sure until you walked into the room, but I know.”
Lyle looked at his friend. And then lowered his head into his hands and began to weep. Cedric did not move, but had waited a couple of moments before he began talking. “Lyle, I remember our youth very well, and I have never though any pies tasted as good as the ones we stole from that crone, Delilah. And I know you have felt the same way. You know what else I remember, you were good at three things;” Cedric paused to tick them away on fingers. “Talking, sneaking, and fighting. You choose war as your profession, and you would have been one of the greatest Knights of our time. Well that destiny was lost to you.”
Cedric again paused to see if Lyle had anything to say. Lyle had stopped weeping and now just looked at his old friend. So Cedric continued, “The other two things, talking and sneaking, well I need a man who can does those things. I need a ferret, which can go to ground and dig up the truth. I need a man who can walk into a bar in Lannisport and leave with eight friends who will drop a note if anything is happening. I need a man who can get into Hornvale with out Lord Brax rolling over in bed. I know you are this man, Lyle. I am trying to think of a way to convince you.”
Lyle looked at his hand but did not have the will to open his mouth. Cedric then said, “Lyle I order you not to kill yourself for a month. Instead I want you to try and build a network in Lannisport. If you try this for me I will not hesitate to let you throw yourself from my walls. In fact, I will have a nice ’99 with you right before I give you a push.”
Lyle was now staring at a wall, his mouth clamped shut. Cedric nodded as he stood. “I understand. Do not leave until you are ready. You were late in replying to my summons. So I am about to leave for King’s Landing.” In a plaintive voice he asked, “Please think about.”
Lyle was there three hours later. The thoughts pounded through his head, over and over like the waves of the great sea to the west. All this time had gone by, but he had known what he was going to do the moment the door had shut behind Cedric, probably the moment the words had slipped from Cedric’s mouth. Ser Lyle Ferren had never disobeyed a command in his life, and he was not going to let his last actions on this earth be the first time.
Results
The Lannister Network grows in the Westerlands
Ser Lyle Ferren is placed in charge of that network.
He still remembered those days of sneaking into the kitchens of the Rock looking for pies with Cedric, and Denard. It almost seemed like he had grown up at the Lannister Keep. He had even squired with Ser Doggett here at the keep. And then he had ridden off to war, from this keep a newly minted knight. He had not wanted to come back.
The summons had come to him as he stared at a sharp knife. He had been contemplating slitting his own throat. His only major concern had been that his left hand would not do the job proper. That he would just scar himself. The summons had set off a new thought. Perhaps throwing himself from the walls of the Rock would be more fitting. He had gathered together his few important belongings then had left.
The moment Ferren had seen the Rock off in the distance his eyes kept moving up to the peak. The end was near, the sweet release. The second he had entered the keep he mounted the walls. He had been staring down the cliff face, and thinking of his late mother when Clive had found him. Just like when they were kids, always doing his brother’s bidding.
Clive had said, “Cedric wants you now, Lyle.”
Lyle looked out over the sights then smiled. “Alright Clive, take me to him.” Clive nodded and turned slowly. For a moment Lyle truly hated him. Clive was the perfect warrior specimen. Muscles upon muscles, and muscles where his brain should be; this idiot has two fucking arms, and I am half a fucking man. He cast one look at the abyss below him, and then followed after Clive.
When Lyle was shown into Cedric’s library he was wondering how much it would hurt when he bounced off the stone cliffs below the walls. Yet the moment he saw his old friend, a smile crept across Ferren’s face. “Hello Ced.”
“Lyle.” Cedric smiled back, “There is a glass of wine for you.”
Lyle looked at the seat and the already poured glass of wine beside it. Sitting down he picked it up and sipped it. Opening his eyes in surprise he looked back up at Cedric, “A Ninety three? You went and wasted the good stuff on me my friend.” Looking around the room he asked, “Where is the rest of the bottle?”
Cedric snickered “In your room, waiting to be served to you by two very young and willing attendants.” Cedric’s smile lightened a little as he added, “If this is to be your last week, it might as well be good.”
Lyle’s head snapped back. His eyes went wide and he stared at the Lannister with a stunned expression. His shaking lips tried to form a word, but none came.
Cedric looked into his friend’s wide eyes and nodded. “I know. I was not sure until you walked into the room, but I know.”
Lyle looked at his friend. And then lowered his head into his hands and began to weep. Cedric did not move, but had waited a couple of moments before he began talking. “Lyle, I remember our youth very well, and I have never though any pies tasted as good as the ones we stole from that crone, Delilah. And I know you have felt the same way. You know what else I remember, you were good at three things;” Cedric paused to tick them away on fingers. “Talking, sneaking, and fighting. You choose war as your profession, and you would have been one of the greatest Knights of our time. Well that destiny was lost to you.”
Cedric again paused to see if Lyle had anything to say. Lyle had stopped weeping and now just looked at his old friend. So Cedric continued, “The other two things, talking and sneaking, well I need a man who can does those things. I need a ferret, which can go to ground and dig up the truth. I need a man who can walk into a bar in Lannisport and leave with eight friends who will drop a note if anything is happening. I need a man who can get into Hornvale with out Lord Brax rolling over in bed. I know you are this man, Lyle. I am trying to think of a way to convince you.”
Lyle looked at his hand but did not have the will to open his mouth. Cedric then said, “Lyle I order you not to kill yourself for a month. Instead I want you to try and build a network in Lannisport. If you try this for me I will not hesitate to let you throw yourself from my walls. In fact, I will have a nice ’99 with you right before I give you a push.”
Lyle was now staring at a wall, his mouth clamped shut. Cedric nodded as he stood. “I understand. Do not leave until you are ready. You were late in replying to my summons. So I am about to leave for King’s Landing.” In a plaintive voice he asked, “Please think about.”
Lyle was there three hours later. The thoughts pounded through his head, over and over like the waves of the great sea to the west. All this time had gone by, but he had known what he was going to do the moment the door had shut behind Cedric, probably the moment the words had slipped from Cedric’s mouth. Ser Lyle Ferren had never disobeyed a command in his life, and he was not going to let his last actions on this earth be the first time.
Results
The Lannister Network grows in the Westerlands
Ser Lyle Ferren is placed in charge of that network.