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Post by The Flint on Sept 25, 2008 13:13:18 GMT -5
"If you won't let me get to the bottom of the barrel, Ser Steffen, I'm sure I won't find any of the good ones." Tania said softly. "Prince Aellion was surely not your first attempt at finding patronage. Who else has approached you with offers of power, and influence, and glory. Besides me of course." She winked.
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 25, 2008 13:20:23 GMT -5
"Any number of frauds and fools over the years," Steffen laughed. "But let me think for a moment, of whom can I speak?" He smiled and then stared off into the bushes for a moment, scratching his smooth chin.
"Ahhh." He says after a moment. "A year or so prior to the Invasion of Lannisport, I was accosted by a gentleman. One whom, much like you, offered such gifts. Only he was nowhere near as comely." The Lannister knight winked lecherously, but with irony.
"This gentleman, bald, like myself, found me on this very road, as I approached the city I am now leaving. Funny how things work out isn't it. Anyway, we had a good old chinwag, me and him, and we came to broker a deal, whereby I turn around and return home, and he gives me... well, 'A Keep of My Choosing'" Steffen grimaced slightly. "Normally of course I would not trust such promises, but really.... You had to be there. The man had a quality."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 25, 2008 13:29:06 GMT -5
Tania nodded understandingly. "I see. This is intriguing, tell me more."
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 25, 2008 13:36:59 GMT -5
Steffen nodded. "Man by the name of Walder he was, though I never fully learned who exactly it was he served." Steffen didn't know what it was that made him so freely spoken, perhaps he just didn't give a hoot any more, or perhaps this lass's pretty smile was just too hard to resist.
"He claimed to be in the service of very powerful men though. Very powerful. I cannot to this day think who they might have been, however my best guess is men from the Free Cities. Our point of liason following this first meeting was a tavern called 'Sleep's Nector' in Lannisport. A shady place it was. My contact was a serving wench there, name of... what was it? Marise? Masille? I can't remember, not that it's of importance."
He took a breath before continuing. "The bastards played me false in the end. I met them once more, a different man, whose name also escapes me, though I may remember later. We talked, and he told me to wait a little longer. We discussed the possibility of the murder of a certain Horas Blackwood - you may have heard of the fellow. But in the end, that was the last I saw of them. The tavern disappeared, becoming a butcher's shop or something equally ridiculous - and with that I lost contact with these men, and felt the very fool. It was the beginning in a chain of failures - perhaps I really am too old."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 25, 2008 13:45:34 GMT -5
"And in exchange for killing Horas Blackwood they offered you some kind of land and title across the Narrow Seas?" Tania asked, leaning in curiously.
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 25, 2008 13:53:45 GMT -5
"No no, you have me wrong. The reward for the capture or killing of Horas Blackwood, as offered by the King, was the title 'Lord of Harrenhal'. These men, they sought to put me in a position to claim this reward."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 25, 2008 14:05:42 GMT -5
"Perhaps most fortunate for you that it was not so, it seems Lord Horas is dead, and yet Harrenhal remains empty." Tania said. "Did they give you any reason why they thought they could arrange for you to be in a position to kill Blackwood?"
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 26, 2008 12:54:56 GMT -5
"I'm afraid they did not. They simply said they were working towards capturing Horas Blackwood themselves before turning him over into my custody to do with him as I liked. Of course, the bastards lied... or failed. Either way it made no difference to me, as I still got nothing."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 26, 2008 15:30:06 GMT -5
"Likely that's because someone else got to Blackwood first." Tania said with a wry smile. "Anyway, that's interesting. Shame you don't have more details. Let's move forward in time. The Targaryens. Any idea where Prince Aellion's family members are? And don't say the free cities."
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 26, 2008 19:09:10 GMT -5
"You don't mess around do you?" Steffen said with a smile.
"The only Targaryen Aellion ever spoke of was his brother Rhaegar, 'the heir' if you will. And I'm afraid I cannot place his whereabouts."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 26, 2008 23:06:28 GMT -5
"Disappointing. Very disappointing. Still, you told an interesting story, and named some names, and placed some places. I suppose that's worth something. What do you think a worthy payment would be?"
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 27, 2008 6:00:44 GMT -5
Steffen smiled. "As you know Tania, I'm a humble man." He left a pause for a moment.
"And at present I have virtually nothing in the world besides my name and my memories. Pay me whatever you will - for anything will be a huge improvement on what I have. I care not any more."
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Post by The Flint on Sept 27, 2008 12:18:27 GMT -5
"Pity. Men with fire in their bellies who know what they want tend to make more friends. But for some of us wriggling is in our nature." She winked lavishly, before digging into a saddle bag, and extracting a pouch which jingled.
"It's not Casterly Rock, but I suppose, you aren't so ambitious now." She said, tossing the pouch of coins at him.
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Post by Quenton Baratheon on Sept 28, 2008 11:44:45 GMT -5
Steffen took the bag with a smile. He did not trouble to examine it's contents.
"I thank you m'lady, in my current condition I must accept anything I can get. I'm sure you have paid me what you think my words have been worth." He inclined his head slightly.
"But now, if that is all, then I shall bid you good day, and continue on with my journey west." He began gesturing for Ser Walter to remount.
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Post by The Flint on Sept 28, 2008 12:04:01 GMT -5
The woman nodded, and turned her horse around, her bodyguards following suit.
"Good bye Lord Worm."
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Hope you all are well and happy.