Tending Old Wounds
Twenty Fourth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC
To begin with you recount somethings of your doings in the Riverlands and Westeros as a whole, counting on rumors and tales to support your words while being careful not to sound too boastful. "In most cases these horrors beyond the strength of steel alone to conquer were either just waking or new come upon the world, but here on the banks of the Red Fork I found a foe that did not sleep and would not rest until it was destroyed or House Blackwood was no more."
The smile changes to a frown of worry, and in his dark gaze the first sparks of anger. By the time you are done you have no doubt it will rise into a blaze, you hope one directed rightly.
Thus you give your accounting, with Dany chiming in from time to time on matters of the investigation in Copperidge and your mother playing her own part in explaining some of the more extraordinary claims as well as helping to present Lady Catelyn in the best terms she can, for such praise rests more easily on her lips. Lord Tytos would hardly be so crude as to impinge the girl's virtue to his queen's face. Thankfully it seems that restraint is also enough to get him actually considering her words, looking past 'the Bracken girl' to see the girl who was in just as much danger as his son from a terrible fate.
"All these years..." something like horror stretches over Lord Blackwood's features at the mention of the unfortunate master of the hunt at Stone Hedge. "He could just take over anything, anyone and make them do what he wanted."
"Here," Dany presses a fresh cup of wine into his hands, noticing the change. "I could transmute that into something with more bite to it if you like."
Whatever inner struggle Tytos Blackwood is in the grip of it must be dreadful indeed for he does not even blink at the sight of a nine year old offering him magic strongwine. He just drains the cup in one motion before slamming the cup on the table hard enough to scratch the polished oak. "My uncle died to a Bracken armsman who Jonos claimed was a poacher. What manner of poacher bears his lord's arms and takes his coin? Madness..." taking a deep breath he continues, trying to keep back his anger as best he can. "When father asked to interrogate the man a raven came back from Stone Hedge that he had hung himself in his cell. Mighty convenient conscience he had then and a rope to do himself in besides. But this thing, this warg... he could have done it couldn't he? Damn us all for fools. Did he poison the Heart Tree? Did he kill our children, our parents, our siblings our friends? I have to know, before I say one more word in this matter I have to know."
What you had been afraid of, you sigh inwardly. Still, as long as he keeps it to a few questions about those close to him and not trying to dig through Rickard's mind for every misdeed you should be able to handle it. You pass on to the Deep where your prisoner waits still, twice bound in the flesh-forged body and the grip of enchantment.
"Who is that... the body?" Lord Blackwood asks to his credit even in the grip of rage.
"No one, my lord, the body is crafted by sorcery and temporary, a prison for his malignant spirit," Dany replies, her high clear voice cutting the air like a knife. She looks with more displeasure upon Rickard than she had given many a fiend. "He will speak truth for sorcery compels it of him."
The Lord of Raventree nods mutely, though when Rickard confirms his suspicion he curses viciously, hand moving to the hilt of his sword and an inch of steel drawn before he stops himself. "Bloody murdering whore's son!" he hisses, at last slamming the blade home.
"His death may yet serve some purpose beyond justice being dealt, my lord," you interject. "By now you must have heard rumors from the east, though some of them are warped I can confirm this much, the Old Gods grant boons for blood spilled before a Heart Tree and few things please them more than an oathbreaker's death. By this power Hoster might be empowered to weild magics far beyond those which he has already learned. It seems a fitting thing that by his death your line will prosper."
"My line, not my House, what do you have in mind, Your Grace?" he asks with surprising perception for one who moments ago had been in the grip of rage.
In reply you make him the same offer you have presented many times already, land in the east for Hoster and Catelyn under a new name while here in the Riverlands the current de facto borders of Blackwood and Braken are enforced by royal will and trade, and peace will see to the prosperity of all. "Jonos Bracken agreed to this already," you end simply, six words that weigh more than any others in this circumstance. This may be more than the best chance at peace, it may well be the last one, and if it is not taken will not Rickard go laughing to whatever grim fate awaits him.
"He knows doesn't he, that this... monster was hunting Blackwoods first?" the Lord of Raventree asks grimly. "He will call it our sin, mark my words and then..."
"No he will not, only a madman would cleave to that and I do not think Lord Bracken is mad," you interrupt before he can dig himself too far into justifying the feud for pride's sake, call it someone else's fault again. "Ultimately, my Lord, I implore you to consider this, please. For years I have faced all kinds of horrors, prevented the worst atrocities from being committed on Westerosi soil, often times for people who wouldn't feel an ounce of gratitude for the efforts. It was my duty, yes, but it was also a thrill and a pleasure to stop monsters or alien minds from just having their way with us all."
You pause a moment for breath and thankfully find that the lord is not minded to interupt. "This tale?" you continue. "It's not my glory, for I shan't be sharing it far and wide, nor does it bring me pleasure that so much sorrow was woven together much like a serpent devouring its own tail. It's not a story simply of monsters and wraiths from the past, heroes stepping forth to stop them, of glory and accolades thus dispensed. It's a tale of men and women. No one will learn of it outside of those two keeps and in the councils of kings... but perhaps that is for the best? Anything else would just earn us the laughter of dark powers who so love twisting the suffering of men to their aims."
"Father, he is right," Ser Brunden interrupts, speaking for the first time since you had begin your tale. "The minstrels do not tell of it nor knights write of it, but I think there are some wounds too deep and terrible for even a knight to carry close to his heart. The King in his wisdom has drained this one. Let us bandage it so that it may heal."
"When did you get so wise?" Lord Blackwood asks wearily.
"I blame mother," the young man replies with a spark of unexpected humor in his gaze. "Someone had to make up for all the times my wits were scattered in the tilt yard." From the way he says the words it is clear he's quoting Lady Blackwood.
"Alright then, you can give your mother the news that Hoster is marrying a Bracken then," the lord replies only half in jest. "Gods know the boy could use some wisdom of his own."
Guessing his worry you interject once more: "One with the will to master magic is not without the strength of character to change their mind, nor strive to improve themselves."
So at last beneath the boughs of the ancient Heart Tree, and you suspect the gaze of the greenseer who bears the blood of his House and yours, Lord Tytos Blackwood kneels to accept you as his king and then you raise him up and grant him a gift of Valyrian steel.
What do you do next?
Rickard
[] Sacrifice at once to help empower Hoster's magic
[] Keep him prioner for a few more weeks transmuted into a book so you can transcribe as much of his knwolege as is useful
Heart Tree
[] Empower it
-[] Write in sacrifices and blessings
[] Wait until you can do so publicly after the conquest
OOC: And that is a wrap. I hope you guys liked the intrigues and the characters here in the Riverlands. For anyone interested Lord Blackwood's sudden recollection of how his uncle died was due to a crit on diplomacy. The poison will be handled in the next update, no need to vote on it.
