Post by Horas on Jan 16, 2009 19:57:32 GMT -5
Lord Samuel Tarly paced back and forth anxiously outside his wife’s room in precise, measured steps, his boots making quiet steady taps on the hardwood floor of the Hill’s Horn. The tavern was aptly named, nestled at the foot of Aegon’s High Hill, and Lord Samuel had purchased it when the King decreed that all pardoned nobles were to remain in the capital. He had converted the upper floors into a private house, while the ground floor was still large area with a bar, though since the doors had opened its patronage had become mainly men of the Far Reach.
Lady Bella Tarly’s screams were audible throughout the entire building, but Samuel had been banished from the birthing room by his wife’s ladies in waiting, who claimed that his harsh glares were scaring the maester, and the Lord of Horn Hill acquiesced, poorly disguising his fear and anxiety at having to see his wife in pain. His lips moved quickly though no sound came out of his mouth. The prayers that he was muttering so low that they were all but inaudible were directed mainly at the Mother Above, though a few were for the ears of the Maiden and Warrior.
He’d spent a large portion of his day each day in a small Sept near his city-home; he preferred the quiet privacy of it, than having to go up to the Great Sept, which he found too gaudy and pompous. He’d prayed daily throughout his wife’s pregnancy at the Mother’s shrine, asking for a strong, healthy child, and asking the Mother to help his wife and to protect her during the birth, and he had been in the Sept when he’d received word that Lady Bella’s water had broken, so he rushed back to the tavern as quickly as he could.
Pacing back and forth was accomplishing nothing, and after a few minutes he could not bear it any longer, so the Lord burst into the room again, and was startled to see his wife, sitting up in her bed with a baby at her breast, cooing softly. She was drenched with sweat and the baby’s face was red as if he had been crying, but instead he was breathing in quick, startled pants. The baby’s eyes were open, with the same brown cast to the irises that his father had, and his little head was covered in a thick layer of matted, bloody curls.
Lady Tarly smiled up at her husband, an exhausted smile though one that was at the same time an expression of pure elation. “He’s a boy,” she said, unnecessarily.
“Justin, then,” Samuel replied, smiling. He waited for his wife’s approval, and cocked his head at her after a moment of silence. “It’s a good strong name, and it is only right to honor him,” he added softly.
“Justin,” she cooed at the new heir to Horn Hill. The newborn closed his eyes and the midwives scurried around cleaning up the room, which, now that Lord Tarly stepped back to look at it, appeared that a murder might have taken place. One of the midwives was wiping blood off Justin’s head with a linen cloth, though she was careful not to attempt to come between the mother and her baby. Samuel reached down, obviously expecting his wife to place Justin into his arms, and was surprised when she simply ignored him.
“Perhaps later, my love,” she said apologetically. “I do not think I am ready to let him out of my arms just yet. I have never seen a more beautiful child in my life, I think.”
“I do not doubt it, Bella,” Samuel murmured. He bent down and kissed her, before straightening and striding out of her room.
He went downstairs to the bar where the barkeep, an Oldtown man by the name of Rodwell Flowers, already had a large jug of Arbor Red out by the time Lord Samuel sat down. He tossed back his first glass, and smiled at the other men drinking in his new tavern.
“I have a son,” he announced, and received a large chorus of cheers and congratulations from the other men there, although the Lord of Horn Hill waved his arms and yelled for everyone’s attention again, to add, “and tonight, drinks are on the House!” The cheers doubled, and there was a mad rush to the bar.
Samuel finished his wine and then weaved his way through the press of bodies to get upstairs, where several of his household guards were stationed at the top of the large staircase, to ensure that the private portion of the building remained that way. Samuel made his way back to his chambers, where he found his wife sleeping softly, with Justin nestled in her arms, fast asleep as well.
He smiled, and kissed both his wife and son softly on the top of their heads, before taking off his boots and carefully climbing into the massive bed as well, where he fell asleep almost instantly.
Lord Samuel Tarly improves to Noteworthy Religion (The Seven)
Lord Samuel Tarly improves to Novice Drinking
Lady Bella Tarly gives birth to a son named Justin Tarly, the new Heir to Horn Hill
Lady Bella Tarly’s screams were audible throughout the entire building, but Samuel had been banished from the birthing room by his wife’s ladies in waiting, who claimed that his harsh glares were scaring the maester, and the Lord of Horn Hill acquiesced, poorly disguising his fear and anxiety at having to see his wife in pain. His lips moved quickly though no sound came out of his mouth. The prayers that he was muttering so low that they were all but inaudible were directed mainly at the Mother Above, though a few were for the ears of the Maiden and Warrior.
He’d spent a large portion of his day each day in a small Sept near his city-home; he preferred the quiet privacy of it, than having to go up to the Great Sept, which he found too gaudy and pompous. He’d prayed daily throughout his wife’s pregnancy at the Mother’s shrine, asking for a strong, healthy child, and asking the Mother to help his wife and to protect her during the birth, and he had been in the Sept when he’d received word that Lady Bella’s water had broken, so he rushed back to the tavern as quickly as he could.
Pacing back and forth was accomplishing nothing, and after a few minutes he could not bear it any longer, so the Lord burst into the room again, and was startled to see his wife, sitting up in her bed with a baby at her breast, cooing softly. She was drenched with sweat and the baby’s face was red as if he had been crying, but instead he was breathing in quick, startled pants. The baby’s eyes were open, with the same brown cast to the irises that his father had, and his little head was covered in a thick layer of matted, bloody curls.
Lady Tarly smiled up at her husband, an exhausted smile though one that was at the same time an expression of pure elation. “He’s a boy,” she said, unnecessarily.
“Justin, then,” Samuel replied, smiling. He waited for his wife’s approval, and cocked his head at her after a moment of silence. “It’s a good strong name, and it is only right to honor him,” he added softly.
“Justin,” she cooed at the new heir to Horn Hill. The newborn closed his eyes and the midwives scurried around cleaning up the room, which, now that Lord Tarly stepped back to look at it, appeared that a murder might have taken place. One of the midwives was wiping blood off Justin’s head with a linen cloth, though she was careful not to attempt to come between the mother and her baby. Samuel reached down, obviously expecting his wife to place Justin into his arms, and was surprised when she simply ignored him.
“Perhaps later, my love,” she said apologetically. “I do not think I am ready to let him out of my arms just yet. I have never seen a more beautiful child in my life, I think.”
“I do not doubt it, Bella,” Samuel murmured. He bent down and kissed her, before straightening and striding out of her room.
He went downstairs to the bar where the barkeep, an Oldtown man by the name of Rodwell Flowers, already had a large jug of Arbor Red out by the time Lord Samuel sat down. He tossed back his first glass, and smiled at the other men drinking in his new tavern.
“I have a son,” he announced, and received a large chorus of cheers and congratulations from the other men there, although the Lord of Horn Hill waved his arms and yelled for everyone’s attention again, to add, “and tonight, drinks are on the House!” The cheers doubled, and there was a mad rush to the bar.
Samuel finished his wine and then weaved his way through the press of bodies to get upstairs, where several of his household guards were stationed at the top of the large staircase, to ensure that the private portion of the building remained that way. Samuel made his way back to his chambers, where he found his wife sleeping softly, with Justin nestled in her arms, fast asleep as well.
He smiled, and kissed both his wife and son softly on the top of their heads, before taking off his boots and carefully climbing into the massive bed as well, where he fell asleep almost instantly.
Lord Samuel Tarly improves to Noteworthy Religion (The Seven)
Lord Samuel Tarly improves to Novice Drinking
Lady Bella Tarly gives birth to a son named Justin Tarly, the new Heir to Horn Hill