Fantasy blood ties

[Marcola]

Their meeting here was by coincidence but it would have a rather important effect on the future. Not through Ed's words or what he learned today, which little did he know was false information, but by the fact that he wasn't quite as perceptive as he thought he was. They had been followed, and their conversation observed, but he wouldn't know until several days later. Suspicion was vital to survival in King's Landing (and the politics of noble houses in general) but Edwyn was very wary of that suspicion tipping over into paranoia. So he chose to believe that Wylan's words were honest and that it was the right move to help him, for the sake of the old king and the times of their childhood if nothing else.

Upon the line of questioning turning to their mutual friend, Ed was happy to brush aside the subject of treason. "Yes, I have seen her. At the coronation, briefly, but my mother insisted that we have dinner together at my grandfather's estate as well. She seems to be doing well despite all the recent changes. I think she's - I don't know - quieter than she used to be?" he said, a minor shift in his tone as he gave a genuine answer for once. Though they were family, the distance between the North and King's Landing had prevented any truly close connection. His younger sister had never even been to the capital before, and had delighted in the presence of the Queen Regent at their dinner table. Much of the evening consisted of his sister's incessant questions about life in the capital and at court, about the gardens and musicians, about the fineries Daena wore and asking her how they dance here. Alyssa was nothing if not enthusiastic about the change of scenery. Between Daena's attention being elsewhere and his own mind occupied with finding out information, there hadn't been much time to actually have a conversation with her. She did seem more solemn than he remembered her being, he had noticed that at least.

From there the conversation stilled as Edwyn arrived at his destination, the carved dragons upon the gate of the townhouse signifying that it was a Targaryen domain. He bid farewell to Wylan then, and hadn't expected to run into him again for some time. Since they had grown up, their paths simply didn't take them in similar circles anymore.

---​

The hour of the wolf was the darkest part of the night, right before dawn. Typically Daena would be fast asleep, but her worries kept her awake tonight, and soon she would be glad they did for she would have an unexpected visitor. But for the moment she was left alone to think and watch the flickering torchlight in the city below. Her dragon, having seen that Daena had moved from her usual place at this time of night, joined her at the balcony, leaping onto the railing with cat-like agility. The creature nuzzled its head against her right arm and nipped at the long braid she had pulled over her shoulder when it wasn't rewarded with the attention it wanted. With an absent smile she rested her hand upon the dragon's back, but her thoughts soon returned to the issues that plagued her.

Ravens had arrived from the Vale and Dorne carrying a declaration of war against the new king. Clearly the Arryns had offered Dorne independence if they won, from the wording of the letters, and a war on two fronts was not ideal. The first thing she had done was to call the banners, sending her own ravens out and addressing all of the nobles in the Red Keep that they were presently at war and they had an obligation to support the crown. With the coronation having only just taken place, she had been hoping for a more enthusiatic response. She supposed they were waiting to see what was going on, who was taking what side, what feuds they could exacerbate and favours they could repay. Lords Baratheon and Stark had near instantly sworn their allegience, though their individual bannermen may have other ideas. Aside from that there had been silence. Not a comforting prospect for the war ahead. Daena had never even witnessed a war. Her father had conflict after his own accession to the throne, but his authority was resolute by the time she was born. She had been hoping that would carry across to Baelon.

Evidently not.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door connecting the solar and her personal chambers being opened, and a familiar face stepping through. Ser Corbray. A knight of the Kingsguard, one who Daena knew would lay his life down for both her and Baelon if necessary. She knew this because behind closed doors, his devotion to her went beyond his role as a member of the Kingsguard. In her eyes, he was the image of a perfect knight and none could ever compare. It was quickly revealed that he was not here to comfort her and scare awful thoughts away, but that she had a visitor. Lord Tully. She assumed that he was here to swear his power to her cause and allowed the man in, with Ser Corbray standing as a shadow at the door to ensure that nothing went awry.

The Lord of the Riverlands was a tall man, clearly with age and experience behind him, though he had seemed to weather time well. It was like looking at some strange reflection of her dear friend, father and son looked so alike, with a major exception being the scar across his face. She absently wondered if this was in some ways a prediction of what Wylan would look like when they were older. She liked to think it was not, instead preferring to imagine that Wylan would not have so many wrinkles from frowning, as this man looked dour in nature. Daena would not voice this, of course, instead preferring her usual polite court greeting.

Freygar Tully was not here for the reason she thought, as when she commented on the time he disclosed that it was a matter that would be better to not be spoken about publicly. A matter of personal politics as well as the upcoming war. House Tully's support would be given in the event that she married his eldest son and heir and appointed Wylan as the regent rather than herself. Knowing that Wylan himself would never agree to it, she knew him well enough to know that tying him to King's Landing would only earn his ire, the Queen Regent tried to diplomatically refuse. She stated that unless it was Wylan himself bringing forward the offer, she would not hear it. Daena had hoped to speak about it to Wylan directly, perhaps use his position with his father to have some sense spoken to Lord Tully, but would not be granted the opportunity. If she were to marry Wylan, she would have to admit the whole affair with Ser Corbray, and no doubt he would then refuse to marry her (if he didn't already refuse at the mere suggestion by his father).

With the Lord of the Riverlands now quite furious that his offer had been refused with a counter-offer, negotiations over the subject quickly broke down and he stormed away. She was expecting another visit the next day to speak about it or at least a visit by Wylan on the matter, but by mid-morning a procession had left the castle gates and started north along the Kingsroad, flying Tully and Tyrell banners. She did note one Stark banner amidst the green, red, and blue however, the grey seeming ominous flying next to bright colours in the summer sun. Within a week another declaration of war reached her council, with goals absolutely unforgivable to her. Should their forces win, Baelon would be declared a bastard child and Wylan would be her prince consort, King in all but name.

She found it difficult to believe that Wylan didn't have a part in this, that this was not calculated to some degree. Either he had chosen to burn their friendship in the name of his family, or their friendship was dead a long time ago.

(I'm so scared of losing this post so I'm posting in two parts. Ed's timeskip post will follow this v soon, I just need to make some food & then I'm coming back to writing. So don't reply before I double-post lmao, but I'm down for chatting on discord. & I like the idea of Daena convincing herself that Wylan doesn't care/never cared to make it easier to fight him & his family, I think if they do meet again somehow during the war, she'll be absolutely furious with him for something he never did. Just fully making herself delusional about it & having a bit of a breakdown when she sees him because she never wanted any of this.)

 

[Marcola]

Edwyn was awoken by the usual sounds of King's Landing on that particularly important morning, and he had stared at the painted ceiling above him wondering what he had forgotten. There was a space in his mind where some thought was supposed to be, but ended up being just out of reach. Perhaps it was some anxiety from the general situation surrounding the nobility. War was brewing and nobody was entirely clear what was going on, whether it would be a short-lived war of letters and economic moves, or an outright war of bloodshed. Ed just knew that his brother would stand in defence of his family, be they Stark or Targaryen, regardless of what was actually the best decision. He tried not to think about his own position here and how precarious it all was. He was staying in separate accomodations from the rest of his family, courtesy of his grandfather who owned several townhouses in the city, so aside from his guards and a couple of kitchen servants nobody knew that he had a meeting with the Lord of the Riverlands that morning.

It was an interesting proposal, to be a spymaster for the Riverlands first and then later be instated as the master of whispers when they won the war, justified on the account that he knew more than most about the Targaryens and their primary allies. It was a proposal he would be stupid to turn down. Either he would do well and prove his skill here, or he would forever live in the shadow of his family, not allowed by his brother to inherit or have any power in the North. If he were to be successful, he could vouch for his family as well, make sure that they kept their lands, titles and lives. It was a lot to bank on potentially winning a war that was so undecided right now, but if others were undecided then they could be manipulated. Convinced to fight alongside House Tully with the right leverage.

He was confident he could make it work. Or at least escape into obscurity if things went badly. The free cities in Essos was always looking for skilled individuals of dubious morality.

So it was that he ended up leaving the city, leaving only a simple note for his grandfather with instructions to burn it after reading. The man was fond of Ed, and had taught him all he knew about the south, so he knew the importance of secrecy in such matters. Flanked by his retinue, with the Stark banner fluttering overhead, they headed north along the Kingsroad towards cooler climates. Within a week the burned, crumbling ruin of Harrenhal sat on the horizon, the castle still massive and imposing even in its decrepit state. Once the camp had been set up, and some of the still-intact rooms requisitioned for use as council chambers and living quarters, Ed had his first appointment with the rest of Lord Tully's council.

The council meeting had not been the challenging affair he had been expecting, as they were largely deciding a first plan of action. Until Edwyn's outriders and spies returned with information, the ideal targets for war couldn't be selected and potential allies couldn't be contacted. For now it was a waiting game as all sides amassed their armies and got a view of their opponents' territories and allies. After leaving what little he had brought with him in his quarters, he decided to try and get a good perspective on this massive place, lest he get lost among the various courtyards and towers. So he retrieved his cane and set out to find the tallest tower, the Kingspyre. If he remembered correctly there had once been a rookery at the top, but the roof and walls had since partially caved in and now only bats lived there. What better place to go to get a good perspective than the tallest point of a castle that put the Red Keep to shame?

 

[david tennant]

The one thing Wylan hadn’t experience upon his brief return to King’s Landing was to see his father and his house’s banner lining the streets as they rode off to the Red Keep. It seemed as though the poor boy couldn’t get a moment of peace after all. He had hoped to stay as far away from his family for as long as he could. Being forced to spend so much time in close proximity to his father only made the familiar feeling of a headache begin to pound in his temples. He knew his father to be cunning, a man willing to do whatever he needed to in order to secure his family’s survival and well-being. Part of him was grateful for that, a part that he never allowed anyone to see. He knew that the inter fighting between families was one thing that could bring a House to its knees without even beginning a war. The rest of him knew that he needed to distance himself from Freygar Tully before the rumors did inevitably lead to an undesired war.

It seemed as though his intuition had been right in that aspect.

He had been awoken early the next morning to the sound of pounding on his door. The sound had startled him enough to where he had grabbed his sword and had it ready to attack anyone who might’ve dared attack him. He was greeted solely by two of his father’s bannerman, both that he knew quite well. His heart was still pounding within his chest as he allowed his sword to return to his side. With the news of a war brewing and the rumors beginning to spread farther and faster, his father was insisting that he return to the Riverlands with them. By the look on the man me face as he spoke, he knew that declining wouldn’t be an option. He barely had enough time to dress and regather his things before he was escorted to his horse. He left them with his father’s brigade, their banners flying high above them as they rode off.

He hated that he hadn’t been able to see Daena once more nor meet the king before his sudden departure. Still, he was hoping he wouldn’t have to spend too much time back in his home. His hope was the only thing he really had going for himself anymore. He dreamed of being able to sail far away from Westeros. He would love to explore Essos at one point in his life or maybe even sail farther to see the lands not many knew. He just wanted an adventure that wouldn’t constantly be overshadowed by war or fear, something that no one could seemingly escape in Westeros.

Confusion originally hit him once they made the turn to head to Harrenhal. He bit his tongue and didn’t question it. When he was escorted inside and to his living quarters for the time being, he did the same. Everything in his was itching to speak to his father, to demand answers as to what was happening. He couldn’t think of any good explanation for them to have settled here for the time being. When he finally did get the nerve up to go and speak with the man, he was denied by the knights outside of the door. He stayed standing there for a few moments, looking in between the two men that were guarding the exterior. His lips were parted in surprise, though he turned and walked away with a soft huff. It wasn’t the first time his father was refusing to tell him anything that was happening. It happened far more than he would’ve liked. He had been hoping that maybe this time was different.

Hope was going to be the death of him.

He found himself beginning to wander through the ruined halls of the castle, steps echoing off of the walls as he did so. He almost hadn’t realized that his steps weren’t the only ones echoing amongst the walls until he lifted his gaze from staring at his feet to see Edwyn walking towards him. He immediately stopped, eyebrows furrowing at the sight of the other male. “Now I believe my father is truly starting to play tricks on me.” The words left his lips before he could find any way to stop them. “I am surprised to see you here Edwyn.”

 

[Marcola]

Harrenhal was a massive structure, and Ed suspected that the place was labyrinthine even before it fell to partial ruin. While he wouldn't admit it, he was a little lost. Trying to find the tallest tower was not as easy as it seemed when your only perspective was within a tower itself. It probably would have benefitted him to go into the courtyard first and judge where to go from there, but he was stubborn and he definitely seemed to be going up so Edwyn carried along the path he was on. He wasn't expecting to meet Wylan here. He had noted the other man's absence at council, since they were fighting his claim Ed had assumed he was in on the whole thing but apparently Wylan was being kept away from everything. Most likely if he knew what was going on behind the scenes, and Freygar Tully's endgame for the war, he would try to stop it.

Edwyn simply couldn't allow that, because then he'd be disgraced and out of a job. Probably exiled to who knows where.

"Wylan." he greeted, not entirely sure what he was even allowed to say about his presence here. "Yes, I- Your father can be very persuasive, so I've joined his retinue for now." he explained, though quickly attempting to shift the subject. "I was just on my way to the Kingspyre tower. Rumour has it you can see for miles from up there." he said. Hopefully Wylan would think the worst of his father, and from his words and tone would think Ed was here less than entirely willingly. That might give Edwyn a foothold to actually keep an eye on him.

Why Lord Tully had asked him to do that, he didn't know. Yes, Wylan was the reason they were going to war, but did he really need to personally monitor his opinions and actions? Could he not just pay off a servant for information and get on with other things? But Lord Tully had insisted. Edwyn was to earn Wylan's trust and somehow convince him to be okay with going to war with his oldest friend. Or at least that Wylan should play his designated role in his father's vision. The exact details he would have to work out later, for now Ed's main task was to gain his trust. He just didn't think he would have to start this charade so early, but maybe the slightly-caught-off-guard look would play in his favour.

(I like to think that Ed starts out genuinely trying to manipulate Wylan and will maybe admit that he's physically attracted to him, but then later has a kind of 'oh. oh no.' moment when he realises he's actually caught feelings. I just think that would be fun, and the most natural way that would play out for him. Because I was kind of struggling to find reasons for him to actually be attached to/seek out Wylan & the idea that Freygar was kind of behind Ed's orders to keep Wylan in line could make for good drama later. & hope you don't mind a bit of a shorter post, I've been busy this week!)

 

[david tennant]

ooo i love that idea! wylan will definitely be wanting to leave as soon as he possibly can, so having ed around will help keep his mind somewhat calm until he finds out that ed was hired by his father and all c: and no worries! i have been really busy as well so my own reply is a bit short. you are perfectly fine!))

Wylan’s gaze stayed focused on Edwyn as the other male approached him. He couldn’t fathom a reason for him to be here and his words didn’t do anything to ease his mind. He tilted his head slightly, eyebrows furrowing more. “I am sure I can safely assume that you will not share just what my father asked you to advise him on.” He mused, glancing away for a moment. He still hadn’t a clue as to why his father even bothered dragging him away from King’s Landing once more in the first place. He hadn’t wanted to leave in the way that he had, especially since he knew that there was much he wished to speak to Daena about before he did depart again. “Though I do feel some pity for you, having to be around him as much as you will. He can be rather boring and far too serious on matters that aren’t important.” He confessed. It wasn’t often that he allowed himself to speak as freely as he currently was, but he knew there was no harm intended towards him here.

He clicked his tongue at the mention of the Kingsprye. “The rumors are quite true, especially on days where there isn’t a cloud in the sky.” He confessed. He turned to face the way he had come from. He hadn’t been to Harrenhal in quite some time, but his father used to drag him to the ruined structure when he was young. He still could find his way around the massive ruined castle despite the time that had passed. “You are going the wrong way. You missed a turn in the courtyard that leads you to the hall that then leads to the stairs.” He explained, raising a hand to gesture towards it. His hand soon fell back to his side, fingers curling into his palm once again. It was his worst nervous habit.

“There isn’t much that I can do with my father not keeping my informed and keeping me as a prisoner here. Unless you are willing to help me escape, perhaps I can show you the way to the Kingspyre. You most likely will not be able to get there on your own.” He confessed. The hallways turned into a labyrinth the farther that one wandered into them. He turned around once more to begin to walk with him. He kept his steps a bit slower in order for the other male to keep up with him. “I hope you aren’t afraid of heights. It is quite a long way down.” He added, his tone holding a bit to amusement to it. He fell silent then, allowing their footsteps to echo amongst the halls that they walked. He glanced over at Edwyn every now and then. He couldn’t get a full read on the other male yet.

 

[Marcola]

(Yeah my posts will probably be slightly shorter in order to be more regular for now. Just until my schedule settles down a little/gets more concrete.)

Judging by the response, his unfamiliarity with the place was obvious. He had heard stories of Harrenhal and had seen the great broken spires of the towers from the kingsroad, but it had remained a distant thing to him, something that wasn't entirely real. Now he had seen it, he could understand why so many stories had sprouted about the curse of the place. It was far too dreary for his tastes, the stone blackened and in some places melted by dragonfire from years ago, and despite being very central it had a feeling of isolation and coldness. Perhaps the rumours were true and every family who had ruled the place stayed here as ghosts after their demise. Edwyn wasn't a fan of ghost stories, he prefered things that could be proven and disproven, concrete things that he could see and feel.

He did think it was ironic, them staying here of all places while opposing a Targaryen king. They would not meet the same fate as King Harren primarily because there were no longer any dragons to burn them. As a child he had been scared of the dragon his mother kept, but now he wished he had been more interested in it because at least that way he would be able to remember the creatures and tell people about them. All that remained of Vidor was hazy memories, seeing the creature in the courtyard or high above blending into the grey of the sky, and of course the memory of the singular time his mother took him for a flight. It was bright and damp among the clouds, the cold air bit at his cheeks and his mother had held him tight and told him that one day if the dragons saw fit, he would have one of his own and fly whenever and wherever he pleased. It had been a nice fantasy. But only a fantasy, as most of the dragons were dead not even a year later. Because of that tragedy, they were quite safe to plan treason within the walls of Harrenhal.

Speaking of, Wylan seemed near completely unaware of why they were here. Edwyn wouldn't be the one to tell him. "No, I'm afraid it's a matter of confidence. But don't worry, you're not missing out on too much, just mirthless meetings about things I can't fix." he responded, then gesturing to Wylan at his offer to show him the tower. "Lead the way, I'm sure you're a wonderful tour guide." he said, happy to introduce some kind of humour into his day. Ed still wouldn't admit that he had ever been lost, though.

Despite his place here as spymaster, Edwyn was walking on eggshells the same as anyone else who worked under Lord Tully. He had come here willingly, but in the negotiations there had been an allusion to a particular secret that might just become public knowledge if he refused. He didn't know exactly how the information had gotten to Lord Tully, perhaps that hedge knight he had spent a summer with once, he was from the Riverlands wasn't he? Or perhaps Edwyn wasn't as clever as he thought he was. Either way, the alternative to being here was living an insignificant life in his brother's shadow or living in disgrace across the narrow sea. Gwyn had always been very clear about the consequences of bringing shame to their family. So he was hardly as upbeat as he usually would be when in his element in King's Landing, and despite his efforts to cover it up it probably showed. He didn't want to give Wylan the chance to bring it up though, so he tried to think of something to steer conversation away from himself. "Did you ever get to speak to Deana before we left? You mentioned it, but things escalated rather quickly didn't they?" he asked, focusing more on keeping pace and trying to memorise the layout of the castle as they walked than looking for Wylan's reaction.

 

[Marcola]

(Hey, I figured I should poke this after about a week but if you want me to wait a bit longer in the future, just let me know!)

 

[david tennant]

Wylan allowed for a silence to settle over them as he began to lead the way off towards the Kingspyre. While it had been ages since he had been here last, his feet seemed to know the way. The air held a deep chill, a signal of the changing seasons. He had been hoping he would be able to spend much of the fall and winter in King’s Landing. He always dreaded the long winter months and the weather that came along with them. While the Riverlands didn’t experience it to the extent that the North did, he would do anything to experience one more warm winter before Westeros turned on itself.

His mind was still focused on the response that he had been given about his father’s plans. Despite the reassurance that it wasn’t anything of importance, he had a nagging feeling that Edwyn’s words were a lie. He knew his father well enough to understand that the man usually had an ulterior motive in regards to himself. He never fit the standards that Freygar Tully crafted for him since birth. He had no desire to step forward and take control of the Riverlands once his father died. He wished to sail as far from Westeros as he possibly could, to see where the maesters believed the edge of the world was. He had expressed these thoughts from a young age, to the disappointment of his father and the encouragement of his mother, and they had stuck with him since then. He had even proposed the trip to Daena at one point. He framed it in a way to where they could try to find any dragons that were not plagued by the illness that came over the ones here. The memory caused a remorseful look to flash across his face.

“Mm, well let us both hope my father doesn’t drag us all into something that will lead to us getting beheaded. That man is smart, but lacks common sense in many situations.” He mused with a slight shake of his head. It was clear to see just what he thought of his father without ever needing to truly elaborate on it. He allowed for a soft sigh to leave him as they continued down the halls. The farther that they moved from the portion of Harrenhal that was habitable, the worse the chill got. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck raising the longer they walked. The air surrounding them just felt uncomfortable, as though the memories of what occurred here were stuck deep in the walls. Even with all of the constant reminders of melted stone by dragonfire, there seemed to be a deeper cause to it all.

“Unfortunately not. I have every intention to when I heard there were some Houses declaring war against her. I was going to pledge my loyalty to her when I was dragged away by my father’s men.” He spoke with a soft snort, turning his gaze to his feet as he continued to walk. “She doesn’t deserve to go through this alone. With the rate of escalation, I wouldn’t be surprised if every major House starts turning on one another within a fortnight. I can’t imagine the stress she is under right now.” He added after a moment. He glanced over at the man beside him as they walked along with each other. It almost seemed as though he wasn’t paying attention to a word he was saying. He wouldn’t have been surprised at such a thing. He had to remind himself that he didn’t know Edwyn nearly as well as he had when they were children.

 

[Marcola]

While Edwyn was used to the balmy weather of the south and he certainly felt the chill in this place, it was nothing compared to Winterfell in the heart of a snowstorm. The castle itself remained warm with water being boiled and then piped through the walls, the same couldn't be said for the courtyard where the snowdrifts in harsh winters could be taller than a grown man. At least here there was no threat of that happening. The typically cool yet dry winters here seemed to contribute towards a willingness of Riverlands lords to wage war. In the north all but the most important of campaigns were delayed over winter for the simple reason that armies couldn't travel anywhere quickly, certainly not without losing supplies in adverse weather. Northmen knew winters well enough not to underestimate them. Southerners by comparison were hotheaded and saw insults and enemies in every corner.

As much as Ed might hope to hold off open conflict, he doubted he could do that for the year or two this winter would undoubtedly last. Tensions were already high, and trying to talk Lord Paramount Tully down from conflict had proven far more difficult than it really ought to be. Edwyn could stall but he had already stuck his neck out getting himself this far, so there was no way to go but forward now. Headlong towards the strife that was brewing on the horizon.

In that respect he did feel for Wylan, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint the emotion. Was it jealousy over being so highly valued by his father, something Edwyn had never been able to experience? Or did he feel sorry for the man, being used as a pawn in some great game? He supposed it didn't matter. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be allowed to affect his position as spymaster here. "Your father's council will guide him well, if he allows." he replied, his own opinion of Freygar Tully's brash and ambitious nature clear in his words. Ambition was all well and good, perhaps even right in this case to save the country from a child king, but it had to be tempered with caution and awareness which were traits Lord Tully had yet to show in good measure.

The matter of Daena clearly pained Wylan. Ed hadn't been too close to the princess, they were raised as cousins and spent time together at feasts and when their parents met up, but she must have thought he was too grim as a child and later too clever for his own good. "You could try to send a raven. Not to pledge loyalty, your father wouldn't allow that, but surely the maester would let you send something innocuous?" Edwyn suggested. He didn't know why he was encouraging this, but he could always intercept the letter if he later changed his mind. "It might keep things from escalating too quickly." he added, to make clear that his interest in the matter was political. If he was genuinely interested in seeing a letter like that get to Daena, he could have suggested one of his scouts take it or his own hunting hawk, though he doubted Wylan would take him up on the offer. From a purely political perspective it could give Daena hope that the Riverlands would back down, which would buy Edwyn and the rest of the war council some time while the crown's focus was on the Vale and Dorne.

Their walk took them higher up within the castle, the walls now beginning to fall away in chunks as the windows chipped into the courtyard below. Looking up, he found that they weren't at the tower yet. Just how much of this place had fallen to ruin over the centuries? How powerful did it look at its' best? It was difficult to imagine with the mental image of the ruined castle at the forefront of his mind.

(Sorry this took so long! I forgot this existed for half a week lmao.)

 

[david tennant]

you are completely fine! c: this is my last week of my semester then i am on vacation until the 14th, so i will probably be slow until that point. my availability opens up a lot more until the beginning of January then though!!))

A puff of air broke through Wylan’s lips as the two walked in silence for the most part. Normally he would’ve forced himself to at least make some sort of conversation, whether it be stating random bits of history from the castle or something other. His mind was swirling too deeply in his own thoughts for him to even bother trying to pull together a coherent sentence that Edwyn might possibly care for. It wasn’t as if the air between the two men was awkward. They both spent plenty of time around one another as children to where they had enough common ground. Even their conversations in brief passing in King’s Landing had always been rather present. His eyebrows pinched at the memories, though he wouldn’t allow himself to speak on those either. Instead he just kept his mouth shut,m until Edwyn mentioned his father.

A bitter laugh echoed off the walls of the ruined halls they walked, the man shaking his head slightly at the comment. “I believe we both know my father will do whatever he pleases, even if the council is guiding him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up getting himself beheaded before winter ends.” He confessed. There was no limit to the ego of Freygar Tully, something he unfortunately knew well from his own childhood. That familiar anger began to rise in his chest, but he forced himself to take in a soft breath to calm himself. There was no reason to get upset over something he had little control over. If his father truly wished for any guidance or help, he was more than welcome to come speak to Wylan on his own. But until that day, he had nothing to say to the man if he could help it. His father only seemed to cause more and more wreckage each time he passed, the latest being another attempt to drag him away from King’s Landing.

This time, he had no intention of allowing himself to stay under the wild man’s control. This time he was going to return back to King’s Landing and stand by Dawna’s side. He wouldn’t allow for himself to get involved in petty bits of drama when he knew one of his only friends was going to be facing something this large on her own.

“Perhaps the maester shouldn’t read whatever message I send and leave it at that.” His initial comment came out more as a mumble before he regained the slip in his composure in order to respond properly. “I suppose that will be best, though I doubt she will want to read anything from me anyways. She has been the only person to truly understand what it is like to be in my position and yet here I stand, continuously being brought into my father’s battles when I want no part in such matters.” He mused, glancing over at Edwyn then. Part of him wanted to see if the man would have any reaction to his words as so far it seemed like he was trying to keep things rather civil, political almost. The other part wanted to ensure that his leg was still feeling alright as they did have a bit of a hike ahead of them.

“You have been speaking with my father. How much do you think he would pay for my head returned on a platter if I left on a horse tonight for the Narrow Sea?” He posed the question as more of an amusing remark, not allowing the seriousness of it to show. He didn’t want for Edwyn to report back that he had any plans of leaving the Riverlands.

 

[Marcola]

(This reply is so late lmao! I have good reason tho, because I finally got a new job & that's keeping me busy in the run-up to Christmas. Hope your vacation went well! I should be a little more active now until the new year, but my replies will most likely be between sunday-wednesday because I work the other days.)

Edwyn could understand having a bitterness towards one's own father, being a son of a Lord Paramount (and in his case, the great-nephew of a King) meant that there were certain expectations and failing to meet those expectations created strife within a family. Though in Ed's case, this failure had not been by choice. Either way their situations had some similarity, with the major difference being that Edwyn had been freed from his father's anger by the man's death several years ago. He didn't really know how to express that he saw that similarity, or if he should even encourage the independence Wylan showed here - his own neck was on the line if Freygar Tully's war ended badly, so he had some motivation to keep the other man around. Wylan was the key to the Tully claim, as fragile as it was, and if their side did not appear unified then no potential allies would lend them aid.

With it being his job to coerce alliances alongside Lord Blackwood, who had been appointed the temporary main diplomat of the Riverlands, it was essential to him that Wylan stay put. Not that he outwardly took the remark as anything but a joke. He couldn't afford to think of anything as a harmless remark, lest he find that Wylan had disappeared into the night. Whichever one of his outriders returned first, they'd be stuck watching the stables. "Well, if we're making a wager, I'd bet good money that you wouldn't make it to Darry" he responded. A discouragement in a joking tone, but discouragement nonetheless.

He wouldn't actually do that, would he? Run from this, that is. Edwyn would more likely expect Wylan to run to Daena (where he would most likely be imprisioned on sight for treason) than flee across the narrow sea. Some westerosi nobles were allowed visits across the sea as a way of teaching them about the world, but as far as he knew neither of them had been allowed that opportunity.

"And you should well know that a maester is allied only to his current Lord. They're clever, necessary even, but worse than rats for spying on things they shouldn't." he said, admitting his suspicion of the order. His tone betrayed his emotions and it was genuine, though soon reigned in. Maesters were useful, but they knew things that others didn't and that set him on edge. The maester here had access to all the information that passed his desk - letters and their contents, where they were going, what letters were returned, which went missing. Ed doubted all of them looked in on incoming post, but he knew back in Winterfell the maester had done just that, and he had once gotten quite the beating from his father for something the man should never have known. Since then there was an unease surrounding maesters for him, and Edwyn sent his letters by a soldier with a fast horse who was willing to die for him if need be. The spymaster still didn't want to offer to get Wylan's letter to Deana just yet, he wasn't sure what it would mean for him or of the potential consequences.

"But enough of that," he said, eager to change the subject to something that wasn't on the topic of politics and betrayal, "Can you see the High Heart from up here?" he asked as they arrived at what he assumed to be the final set of stairs. Most every other part of the castle had fallen away, and a glance out the window revealed that they were now in the tallest spire of the ruined castle. High heart was one of the tallest hills in the area, a ways to the west if he remembered correctly, rumoured to be haunted by the ghosts of land spirits. Edwyn was more curious about the ruined weirwood trees, which apparently still bled red sap in winter despite being hacked into stumps a thousand years ago.

(this probably reads as a bit disorganised, sorry about that, I've been chipping away at it for like a week.)

 

[david tennant]

you are completely fine! sorry this took me so long to get up too! i have been super busy. congratulations on getting the new job! happy new year!! c: ))

Wylan’s hardened expression began to lighten at Edwyn’s words, the remainders of a smile beginning to make their way to his lips. A soft snort of air escaped his nostrils, the man turning his head away to look forward at the sound. The urge to escape the situation he was finding himself in grew more with each passing moment, though it seemed he wouldn’t be allowed to act on such urges with Edwyn’s close watch over him. He wouldn’t put it past his father to have instructed the man to ensure that he wouldn’t escape. Lord Tully might be a fool, but Wylan had made his plans known well enough to where Freygar could stop him whenever necessary. He supposed it was due to the fact his mother could never hide secrets from her husband. He gently pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth as he sucked in a breath. He refused to allowed his own thoughts to dampen the mood even more than it already had been.

Allowing for his mouth to part, he let out a deep breath before he replied. “Ah, I like to think I could make it much further if I pleased. With the right stallion, I believe I could Rosby before anyone might sound an alarm. With the way my father has been acting though, perhaps not.” The slight shrug of his shoulders was enough to show that he wasn’t seriously considering the idea. If he did ever have true plants to flee, he wouldn’t tell a single soul before he did. He was skilled enough in combat, it being the one thing his father instilled on him other than his own studies. He knew he could very well hold his own against any who might stop him. “One day though, I do hope to leave Westeros and never look back. I want to see what lies beyond Essos. Surely there is more before the edge of the world.” His voice fell some then, the thought causing the familiar punching between his eyebrows to occur once more.

The change of subject to the maesters was one that soured his mood a but more than he would’ve liked to admit. Freygar Tully surely would’ve instructed for each letter to be inspected before it was sent as well as those being received in order to prevent any sort of treachery from occurring. The rebellion was already grasping at straws and each house that stood against the crown was walking a thinner line each day. He wouldn’t dare risk to try to send a letter to Daena just yet, even if he hoped to know just what would’ve caused his father to drag him here when war was brewing. “I know it is odd to say, but I do not trust many of the men my father has decided to gather here. If I didn’t know you Edwyn, I might group you with them. I have a terrible feeling my father has gotten himself into a hole he might not be able to climb from,” He paused, finally looking towards the man beside him.

“Do not allow him to drag you down beside him. Nothing is worth a beheading.” His words were a gentle warning, though bordering on a soft plea. While he hadn’t been around Edwyn nearly as much as he used to, he still considered the man to be a colleague of himself and one that he would much rather see alive than dead. Besides, he was one of the few people he could find himself having a decent conversation with. He feared he might go mad if it weren’t for the presence of the other male already.

He blinked a few times before he looked out the ruined window nearest to them. The fog was still rolling off of the hills, the ground below them disappearing into the cool air. The sun hadn’t managed to break through the darkening clouds above. A gentle breeze began to whip through the halls, easily breaching the cloak he had across his shoulders. He had forgotten just what it was like here and wasn’t grateful to have to be experiencing it once more. “You can. I know the fog and clouds are rather unhelpful with such matters, but you can see it partly today.” He lifted a hand to point towards the hills on the horizon, covered mostly by the fog and clouds that had settled around them. “We will have to come up here once more when the air has cleared. The view can be quite spectacular.” He confessed.

 

[Marcola]

Hey, sorry for going AWOL, I had a lot going on at the beginning of this year (I both got & lost that job I mentioned & then had to find another job lmao) but I'm getting back into writing again & wanted to know if you were still up for this?

 

[david tennant]

Hi! You are completely fine! c: life got crazy busy for me as well and still is between balancing two internships, my job, and school. My classes do finish this month though so I will start having a little more free time. I would love to continue this! I might be slow for a bit though, fair warning))

 

[Marcola]

(So this got written over the course of like a month & I haven't fully typo/grammar checked/proofread it, but here you go! Tbh I didn't really know what to do with the ending & left it kind of open for me to edit something in if you have any ideas on what you want to see next? Also you don't have to match this at all, I just had a lot of little details I wanted to toss in there that ended up building out into almost 1000 words.)

“I don’t doubt you could go far if you wanted, what I doubt is that anyone could do that alone.” Edwyn responded. He didn’t want to antagonise Wylan by pointing out that if he hadn’t been able to escape being dragged to Harrenhal, then he probably wouldn’t be able to get away, so he chose to try and point out Wylan’s rather solitary position here. As far as Ed had been able to tell, Wylan didn’t have many friends among Lord Tully’s bannermen (a fact that would be confirmed when Wylan mentioned he didn’t trust any of them), so it was safe to say that in terms of political allies he didn’t have many. Ed certainly wouldn’t count himself among that number, given his own loyalty at this point to Wylan’s father – something that he considered to be the antithesis of being an ally to the man next to him.

He shifted then, leaning a little more on his cane and watching the scenery as he listened to the other man’s words. All this talk of the rebellion, of treason and sedition, the thinking of what Lord Tully held over him, it weighed heavily on his mind. So he took the excuse to focus on the parts of their conversation that could be lighter. A tour of Essos had never been in the cards for him, but he knew much of Tyrosh from his grandmother. It was strange that in a world where most felt kinship with their father’s family that he adored the home of his mother and grandmother more than he had ever loved the frozen North. That was largely his father’s own fault for being a horrible person and tainting the place with foul memories. It had been openly commented on that he was more southern lord than northern, more a Targaryen than a Stark in nature, to the point where his affinity for his grandmother had been smothered. Ayleen of Tyrosh – her name a westerosi approximation of her true name – was a lovely woman, she had been caring and vibrant and witty, and hadn’t deserved even half the hatred the westerosi nobility had thrown at her. Purely because she didn’t talk like they did, and wore foreign clothes or had different hair. She had made Essos seem close and real, even though Ed had never been there he had seen the place of her childhood in paintings and poetry, learned their stories and history and customs.

“The edge of the world seems a little far, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Tyrosh. My grandmother spoke of it, offered to get me passage there one day. Even offered to dye my hair like they do over there, though I don’t think my brother would be happy to hear of that.” Edwyn noted. His hair was the trait that marked him as a Stark, dark and wild, so forsaking that would be erasing one of his only physical connections to his northern heritage. He wasn’t sure that he was ready to do that just yet.

The fantasy of the conversation was comforting, an almost pleasant distraction from the responsibility he now had to shoulder. The flurry of thoughts about who was moving against them and how others could be manipulated sat on the other side of a wall that Ed had carefully constructed in his mind, with this scene on the tower capturing his attention and his back to the wall that parted him from the mess he would soon have to fix. For some reason, he knew without looking in the same way one knows they are being watched, this wall in his mind was in the shape of the great walls of Winterfell. He refused to ruminate on what that meant.

The view from the tower certainly was worth the pain his leg would be in by the time he got back to the ground. Being able to see for miles, with every village or castle appearing as though it belonged to ants, he could see why they were using it as a defensible position. He could also see the hills in the distance, he assumed that was what Wylan was indicating anyway, but a bank of foul weather was rolling in and that obscured the view. Whether the rain was headed their way or not, Ed hadn’t seen enough to tell. “Have you ever brought a spyglass up here on a clear day?” he asked, genuinely curious as to how much one could see in the best circumstances.

His thoughts were then brought back around to the rebellion, and Edwyn’s own role in it, by the other man’s words. Was what they were doing really so foolish? He had thought it opportunism, to leap into the chaos created by Lord Arryn. He was too involved to back out now, and that was even without factoring in that Lord Tully would ruin his future if given the right reasons. The concern for his wellbeing was touching, though. He wouldn’t be so cold towards Wylan as to parrot some empty praise of his father in response to his concerns, the man knew his own father well enough to know that would be stretching the truth at best. “There’s always a way through, even if there isn’t a way out. This cause isn’t- Well, it has its’ virtues.” Edwyn replied, trying not to give too much away about his place here. He had to be careful about what he said, even here in the quiet air of this solitary meeting. Any acknowledgement of the knife’s edge this war danced on right now might spook Wylan into doing something stupid that would be destructive for them all.

 

[david tennant]

hi dear! i promise i am working on a reply c: i have been on holiday since May 1st and i get back home the 19th, so i should be a bit more active then!!))

 

[Marcola]

(Totally understandable! I hope you've had a good time & I can be patient, I'm sure your reply will be great!)

 

[david tennant]

hi love! i am so so sorry for not getting something up yet. my mental health has been on a sharp decline since i’ve gotten back and i don’t want to give you a bad reply. i am going to take a small break to try to get better ))

 

[Marcola]

(It's all right, I totally get that stuff like that happens! I'm a little busy with work this next month anyway (& into the first couple weeks of July because I'm moving house). Hope you feel a bit better soon & I'm always around to chat if you want to dm me!)

 

[david tennant]

hi lovely! i am alive and feeling a lot better lol! i hope you are doing good! I am slowly working on my reply c: ))

 

[Marcola]

(Hi, hope you're doing well! I'm good! A lot has happened in my life since we spoke last - I've fully moved out of my parents place, I got a place on that MA course I was talking about & I'm still trying to get a reliable job. So I'm a bit busier & I can kind of afford to wait around for a reply. I'll always have muse for Ed though, don't worry about it!)