Post by The Smith on Jun 17, 2009 12:14:58 GMT -5
The twenty horsemen stood abreast on the crest of the hill, their shadows cast long by the setting sun gleaming off their armor. At the base of the hill stood a dozen men, armed with pitchforks and wooden spears, armored in leather.
“Surrender your weapons and I’ll let you die with some regained dignity hanging from the gallows, else you can be run down like dogs. Either way you will pay for your crimes and there will be no more banditry here.” Jarren said, his longsword pointed up to the sky.
The gang of scraggly men dropped their rudimentary weapons as the horsemen advanced towards them.
“Good, I see you took the sensible choice. I am a man of my word, you will all hang from the gallows in the morn. I suggest you say make your amends with the Seven.”
Jarren sheathed his sword and continued forward to Stone Hedge, sending the bandits back to Raventree Hall with some of his men.. In the distance they could see the so-called stone hedges around the keep, and as they came closer poorly armed men patrolling the walls. They approached the gates and shouted up to one such man.
“I am Lord Blackwood of Raventree Hall, and I seek an audience with the Lady Blackwood of Stone Hedge.”
“Beggin’ yer pardon I got to ask the Lady Blackwood.” Some minutes later the man returns and the gates open. Inside is a ramshackle courtyard sparsely covered with young and old men doing odds and ends.
“Tom here will take you up to the solar where Lady Blackwood awaits, m’Lord.” The gatekeeper says, pointing to a boy not a day older than 14.
“Right this way, m’Lord.” He said, interested in him and other the knights. He bombarded them with questions as they walked, “we ain’t got no knights here no more, they all went to war and never returned” as he matter-of-factly explained.
After what seemed like several minutes on what was called in a different world a quiz show, they finally reached the solar and were relieved by the guard’s gruff and to-the-point speech. “The Lady is right in ther.” He said, opening the door.
“My Lady Blackwood, how good it is to see you well. I see you have been coming along as well as you can.” Jarren said, kissing her hand politely, but no more than like a necessary chore.
“Ah yes Jarren, as well as can be expected. I see you have become a fine young Lord, indeed, you are quite dashing. Would you like some wine? I have some Dornish Red which matches the mood quite well.” Lady Blackwood stated, picking up a bottle of red wine.
“It would be nice to have some wine, thank you. Over at Raventree Hall our wine has run dry.” He said, taking the glass and drinking deep. “Now on to business. I have been restoring order to our lands, putting down banditry and helping the smallfolk rebuild their farms and homes. Now, I know this may seen brash, but us Blackwoods are not ones for beating around the bush. You are the last remaining Blackwood of Stone Hedge, and well past your prime. In times like these a strong lord is needed, and I can provide that to you and your people.” Jarren took a moment for her to take it in.
“What are you suggesting, Jarren?” Lady Selena asked in surprise.
“You have no heirs, Selena. What is to happen to Stone Hedge when you die? Just wither away?” Jarren asked pointedly.
“Non…none of them are confirmed dead…….” Selena muttered.
“Oh but we both know the truth, that they ended up out there as wights, and had to be burned just like the all the others. My father was the same way.”
“In any case I won’t let you take away all that I have left, how could you. You wouldn’t take the lands away from an old lady would you, dear cousin?”
“Times are changing, Selena. The dragon is dead, and her whelp is Queen, and King Selwyn as of yet still kneels to her, conceding his right as a King of Westeros to rule to her, a Targaryen bitch. The Freys and Mallisters fight over who should rule the Riverlands, the Freys backed by the dragon with half the Riverlands, but Mallister with just as much and still holding strong against him. We are a proud house and old, but our stains at the hands of Horas Blackwood are washing away, and people would be eager to side with the time-tested and proved stable leadership of House Blackwood. But that cannot happen when our lands stand divided, the Blackwoods of Raventree Hall and the Blackwoods of Stone Hedge. We shall just be the Blackwoods, united again and no longer a has-been House.”
Selena looked at Jarren as if she had lost a son. “You are power-hungry, just like Horas was, who you were so quick to cast aside. Yet you are so very like him, seeking more power for yourself. This will not end well, mark my words.” Jarren stood and walked towards her, pulling out a piece of parchment.
I, Lady Selena Blackwood, concede all my lands and holdings, consisting of Stone Hedge and all of its lands, and forsake all claims of lordship or heirship of the aforementioned to Lord Jarren Blackwood of Raventree Hall.
x________
Jarren leaned forward and set the parchment on the table beside her. “You will sign this, my dear Lady, and announce it to the whole keep. That you have graciously gifted your lands to your dearest cousin and rightful heir, Lord Blackwood of Raventree Hall, so that he may merge the Blackwood lands into one great House for the benefit of all.”
“I won’t sign this.” Selena said bitterly, choking back tears.
“Oh you will. I would hate for anything to happen to your poor people… They say the bandits have become more daring, more belligerent of late. They may even dare a raid on Stone Hedge, with no Lord to protect it…” Jarren said, handing her the quill. “Times are changing, Selena, and the Blackwoods must stand strong and united to survive and regain recognition. We will have our respect again.”
Faintly the sound of scribbling is heard, and the sound of quiet tears. Jarren exits the room with the parchment in his hand, and turns to the guard.
“Lady Blackwood is not well, I should think that seeing me after losing all of her kin has finally broken her down.” Jarren said sadly. “Ah, but times are turning around, in fact I am your new Lord.”
Results:
Lord Blackwood now controls Stone Hedge and its lands
Lord Blackwood puts down some of the Banditry
Jarren gains Apprentice Persuasion
“Surrender your weapons and I’ll let you die with some regained dignity hanging from the gallows, else you can be run down like dogs. Either way you will pay for your crimes and there will be no more banditry here.” Jarren said, his longsword pointed up to the sky.
The gang of scraggly men dropped their rudimentary weapons as the horsemen advanced towards them.
“Good, I see you took the sensible choice. I am a man of my word, you will all hang from the gallows in the morn. I suggest you say make your amends with the Seven.”
Jarren sheathed his sword and continued forward to Stone Hedge, sending the bandits back to Raventree Hall with some of his men.. In the distance they could see the so-called stone hedges around the keep, and as they came closer poorly armed men patrolling the walls. They approached the gates and shouted up to one such man.
“I am Lord Blackwood of Raventree Hall, and I seek an audience with the Lady Blackwood of Stone Hedge.”
“Beggin’ yer pardon I got to ask the Lady Blackwood.” Some minutes later the man returns and the gates open. Inside is a ramshackle courtyard sparsely covered with young and old men doing odds and ends.
“Tom here will take you up to the solar where Lady Blackwood awaits, m’Lord.” The gatekeeper says, pointing to a boy not a day older than 14.
“Right this way, m’Lord.” He said, interested in him and other the knights. He bombarded them with questions as they walked, “we ain’t got no knights here no more, they all went to war and never returned” as he matter-of-factly explained.
After what seemed like several minutes on what was called in a different world a quiz show, they finally reached the solar and were relieved by the guard’s gruff and to-the-point speech. “The Lady is right in ther.” He said, opening the door.
“My Lady Blackwood, how good it is to see you well. I see you have been coming along as well as you can.” Jarren said, kissing her hand politely, but no more than like a necessary chore.
“Ah yes Jarren, as well as can be expected. I see you have become a fine young Lord, indeed, you are quite dashing. Would you like some wine? I have some Dornish Red which matches the mood quite well.” Lady Blackwood stated, picking up a bottle of red wine.
“It would be nice to have some wine, thank you. Over at Raventree Hall our wine has run dry.” He said, taking the glass and drinking deep. “Now on to business. I have been restoring order to our lands, putting down banditry and helping the smallfolk rebuild their farms and homes. Now, I know this may seen brash, but us Blackwoods are not ones for beating around the bush. You are the last remaining Blackwood of Stone Hedge, and well past your prime. In times like these a strong lord is needed, and I can provide that to you and your people.” Jarren took a moment for her to take it in.
“What are you suggesting, Jarren?” Lady Selena asked in surprise.
“You have no heirs, Selena. What is to happen to Stone Hedge when you die? Just wither away?” Jarren asked pointedly.
“Non…none of them are confirmed dead…….” Selena muttered.
“Oh but we both know the truth, that they ended up out there as wights, and had to be burned just like the all the others. My father was the same way.”
“In any case I won’t let you take away all that I have left, how could you. You wouldn’t take the lands away from an old lady would you, dear cousin?”
“Times are changing, Selena. The dragon is dead, and her whelp is Queen, and King Selwyn as of yet still kneels to her, conceding his right as a King of Westeros to rule to her, a Targaryen bitch. The Freys and Mallisters fight over who should rule the Riverlands, the Freys backed by the dragon with half the Riverlands, but Mallister with just as much and still holding strong against him. We are a proud house and old, but our stains at the hands of Horas Blackwood are washing away, and people would be eager to side with the time-tested and proved stable leadership of House Blackwood. But that cannot happen when our lands stand divided, the Blackwoods of Raventree Hall and the Blackwoods of Stone Hedge. We shall just be the Blackwoods, united again and no longer a has-been House.”
Selena looked at Jarren as if she had lost a son. “You are power-hungry, just like Horas was, who you were so quick to cast aside. Yet you are so very like him, seeking more power for yourself. This will not end well, mark my words.” Jarren stood and walked towards her, pulling out a piece of parchment.
I, Lady Selena Blackwood, concede all my lands and holdings, consisting of Stone Hedge and all of its lands, and forsake all claims of lordship or heirship of the aforementioned to Lord Jarren Blackwood of Raventree Hall.
x________
Jarren leaned forward and set the parchment on the table beside her. “You will sign this, my dear Lady, and announce it to the whole keep. That you have graciously gifted your lands to your dearest cousin and rightful heir, Lord Blackwood of Raventree Hall, so that he may merge the Blackwood lands into one great House for the benefit of all.”
“I won’t sign this.” Selena said bitterly, choking back tears.
“Oh you will. I would hate for anything to happen to your poor people… They say the bandits have become more daring, more belligerent of late. They may even dare a raid on Stone Hedge, with no Lord to protect it…” Jarren said, handing her the quill. “Times are changing, Selena, and the Blackwoods must stand strong and united to survive and regain recognition. We will have our respect again.”
Faintly the sound of scribbling is heard, and the sound of quiet tears. Jarren exits the room with the parchment in his hand, and turns to the guard.
“Lady Blackwood is not well, I should think that seeing me after losing all of her kin has finally broken her down.” Jarren said sadly. “Ah, but times are turning around, in fact I am your new Lord.”
Results:
Lord Blackwood now controls Stone Hedge and its lands
Lord Blackwood puts down some of the Banditry
Jarren gains Apprentice Persuasion