[D6:EN] Dark news for the Marsten sisters (closed)

OOC: This thread is specifically for myself, Gwyn, and Dyana. However, it is in a semi-public area. Anyone else wanting to become involved, PM me.

Baelon departs the meeting with Dunstan and the others and returns to the Marsten camp, where he sends pages with urgent summons for the two sisters with whom he needs to speak about the next morning's trial.

After a moment's consideration he writes and sends a third letter, to his father the Prince. In it he apologizes that he will not be making it for training that evening, and briefly explaining the situation. With so many black-supporting knights and lords involved, with Baelon, Theomore, and Jon Cobb amongst them, perhaps some unasked for assistance would come into play... or at minimum, some shielding against green plots that might try to take advantage of the situation.

Gwyneth arrives at Baelon's tent looking unruffled, but the speed that she came with is telling a different story. A sharp eye might see that she's very carefully controlling her breathing, most likely after running the whole way.

She lifts an eyebrow at him and steps inside.

"
The boy said 'urgent,'"
Gwyn says curiously. "
I don't know if I've ever heard you use that particular word before. If this is just you wanting to avoid a lonely night, I will be very cross."


She smiled a little.

"
And somewhat flattered."

Dyana arrives shortly after Gwyn. She looked a bit weary, as if she'd ran half a mile to get here, but magnificent otherwise. She was dressed in an ornate silvery gown with bare shoulders and long sleeves, and her hair, though a bit ruffled by now, was braided in an elaborate hairstyle.

Inside the tent, she glances between Baelon and Gwyn. "
Little sister. Ser Baelon."
She nods to him, her chest rising with her still puffy breath. "
What's the matter?"

(This starts prior to Dyana's arrival)

Baelon smiles, gathering Gwyn into his arms, nuzzling her cheek and whispering into her ear.
"
I wish it were such a pleasant issue, but that missive I would want to deliver myself. Besides, I sent a similar note to your sister, and it would be awfully awkward with her in here too..."


He steps back and shakes his head, a more serious expression on his face.
"
There's been a challenge, and Dunstan asked... no, let me start from the beginning, or this isn't going to make any sense. Some of this is private information though."


Then Dyana arrives.

"
Ah good, you're here too. I won't have to explain this twice."


He looks back to Gwyn.
"
Remember how Dunstan was so resistant to your charms? It turns out that he has a lover, a smallfolk woman from his lands. When he decided to marry you for the good of his house, he sent her back to Mountain's Reach with some of his guardsmen. It seems that they were attacked by Lionel Darry and his band of zealots. They captured her and sent Dunstan a challenge to a Trial of the Seven.
No need to mention the head.
"
Dunstan asked Kevan, and Ben, and myself to fight alongside him. His uncle, Wrecker Jon, and Ser Jorah from House Coldbrook, too. We're to ride out at first light."


He pauses for a moment to let that sink in.

"
There was some discussion that it might be a trap, so we want to have some skilled warriors waiting some distance off for a signal in case we are ambushed by a larger force. Dyana, that's where you would come in, if you are willing. I was hoping that you would lead some of our cavalry, just in case. Ser Jorah is looking to get similar assistance from House Coldbrook, and Dunstan is going to seek out that archer that Edmund hired for the fight against the clans."

"
Lionel Darry? Why that's..."
Dyana blinks, standing upright once more, nearly as tall as Baelon. "
A Trial of the Seven. For having a lover? That's ridiculous! And the only measure was to ride out to meet him? I mean..."
She frowns, shaking her head from side to side slowly, several times, and glancing at the two of them.

"
Of course I would ride with you. If Ser Kevan, and Ser Benedict, and Ser Jon are there as well, I can only ensure your safety in light of an ambush. But is this the best course of action? Is the accusation coming from him alone? Do we know who's fighting alongside Darry?"
Dyana crosses her arms, exasperated, and waits for a response.

"
No, we know very little, though I believe some of the others are trying to get more information. No doubt some of his fellow zealots would be fighting alongside him. We discussed simply sending in troops, but that would no doubt guarantee the death of the hostages. He sent... proof... that he had the hostages and his willingness to kill."


He glances at Gwyn, hoping neither of them ask what kind of proof.

Gwyn's eyes narrowed slightly, and as was so often her way of dealing with fear, she looked angry.

"
So...I'm going to repeat what I'm hearing, in the very fervent hope I'm simply misunderstanding something vital,"
she said softly. "
Dunstan, while prattling on about the Seven and how heroic he was, was sowing his wild oats with some smallfolk wench. He came to his senses and sent her away, and she was set upon by what is extremely obviously a set up for a trap, and now not only is Dunstan going to march gleefully into that trap...but he's dragging you, and Ben, and Kevan and...almost every other friendly face that Marsten and myself know? On behalf of the aforementioned wench?"

"
And the other hostages. A common wench, and Tullison men. Is that it?"
Dyana looked at Baelon, her arms crossed. "
What proof did you have?"

"
That 'wench' is a big part of the reason why you are not married to Dunstan. I for one feel a bit of gratitude for that. Beyond that, what else are we supposed to do? Ignore it? Let Darry slaughter them and brag about how weak we are, how we 'sinners' are weak and can't protect our loved ones? Or should we just write off the hostages as being unworthy of rescue and storm the encampment with our full forces? No, we can't do that, either. It would send the message that we don't care about our smallfolk, and no doubt there are other zealots just waiting to incite uprisings against us."


"
The proof... they sent back one of the guardsmen. In a small box. These zealots cannot be left free, or they will grow bolder and stronger, attracting more to their cause. We have to stop them now... and there's only one way to do so without wrecking the very things we are fighting for."

"
Stop being so SIMPLE!"
Gwyn suddenly shouted, her eyes squinched shut for a second in an agonized expression. She immediately forced calm on herself and held a hand out to forestall reaction.

"
Just listen to me. For a moment. Please."


She managed to open her eyes, and now anger and fear were swimming uneasily together in them. "
This isn't about who Dunstan Tullison sleeps with, Baelon. I mean, it is for Dunstan, but that's the POINT. No one cares about that but him! The Darrys might be zealot enough to do something like that, MIGHT be, but are you honestly going to tell me that he's clever enough to have discovered not only that Dunstan had a mistress...something he concealed from me, and Yves, for a year or more...but ALSO that he was sending her away, WHEN he was sending her away, and by what ROUTE he was sending her away? All in the space of the single night that it all happened in?"


"
THINK, Baelon! The 'proof' is a dead man. All you know is that one of Dunstan's guard was killed. By who? You don't know. When? Where? You don't know. Why? Alarmingly, you don't know. But whoever arranged this knows Dunstan very well. They knew he wouldn't go to the Tullys for help, or the Prince. No, he'd surround himself with his friends and ride forth like some hero out of legend to save the damsel fair!"


Now beside herself with frustration, Gwyn grabbed one of Baelon's shirts and hurled it at him.

"
Tell me this though. Of the Seven Companions he gathered, how many support the Queen?"

He catches the shirt, tossing it onto the bed.
"
Not many, if any. You are right, this is ugly. I don't like it either. Theomore is going to talk to Lord Gorman, and I sent a message to..."
he glances at Dyana "
to the Prince. That is why I asked Dyana here. We are not going to just ride off like heroes, though of course that was what Dunstan had in mind. It is probably a trap, but there is no good way out but to spring the trap and then spring our own trap on them - whomever they are. I don't like it, but if we don't do anything it's only going to get worse. Maybe next time they kidnap Yve, or..."
his voice cracks a little with emotion "
or you."


"
It's just like I said last night - whether we want to be or not, we are involved. Do you think I like having my friends and family be targets? I want it known far and wide that those that hurt my friends and family suffer for it. I don't ever want anyone to even think about hurting you to get to me."

Gwyn glared at Baelon for a moment, then looked away, tapping her chin.

After a second she looked back.

"
Your planning. Did you do it in the Tullison camp?"

"
Mostly. But I didn't decide to write to... the prince until I came back here. There are also a few details we haven't discussed yet - what route to take, and so on."

He pauses a moment, thinking about what she might be thinking.
"
You think that there might be a spy in the Tullison ranks?"

Gwyn nods. "
I'm sure when he decided to evacuate his paramour, he did so with the utmost secrecy, or tried to. It's not impossible that someone on the outside found out, but it's unlikely. Safest to assume that the enemy knows you're falling for the ruse...and that they have some inkling that you're not bringing just seven men. But you're hampered. You won't be able to sneak anyone in close enough to assist right away without them being spotted...so if I were them, I'd plan on speed. Provoke Dunstan into a reckless charge, that you all are forced to follow him on."


She purses her lips. "
The girl would probably work for that, if they're determined enough."

"
To be fair, this is Dunstan. I'd not be surprised if he blurted it out in a 'private' conversation at the Drunken Huntsman. He's a good man, but not much of one for thinking things through or subtlety.
Still, you are right. It is best to assume they know the whole plan."


He looks at Gwyn adoringly. Not only is she beautiful, she has a good mind, too.
I certainly was a fool to push Gwyn away.

His mind snaps back to life-or-death situation at hand.
"
On the other hand, if our allies cannot hide nearby, neither can theirs. If they plan to ambush us, it will probably be on the way to our destination, not after we get there. Perhaps after we depart in the morning, we should select a new course... and Dyana, maybe you should follow a little closer than we had originally planned."

Dyana has her arms crossed throughout the exchange, a scowl set deeply on her face.

This is moving too many things. We have a trial with fourteen knights, and then cavalry, Marsten soldiers, Tullison soldiers, and myself, to say the least. There's the zealot, and probably someone from Dunstan's confidence spitting out personal information.

"
This is important."
She says at last, lowering her arms and looking at Baelon with fierce eyes. "
This trial is barely legal. I will take as many men as we can spare. I will ride close to you, just out of sight. Take someone with you, someone quick - a squire, perhaps, or a page. Someone inconspicuous. You can say he is there to witness, in case all of our seven die. Have him tell me as soon as the hostages are either secured or killed, as well as how many men Darry has. We will ride in and aprehend him, if he is alive. And when we discover who is sharing secrets among us, or the Tullisons, I will put a sword through him myself."

Gwyn pursed her lips.

"
I wonder...is there a prominent Green who might join your cause?"
she asked. "
Someone who's sense of honor and propriety would override notions of faction, and prompt them to ride with you?"


"
Someone important...that wouldn't be worth the sacrifice."

Dyana Marsten wrote:Take someone with you, someone quick - a squire, perhaps, or a page. Someone inconspicuous. You can say he is there to witness, in case all of our seven die. Have him tell me as soon as the hostages are either secured or killed, as well as how many men Darry has."

"
We had planned to bring squires with us, additional swords should we be ambushed. I was thinking of bringing Gawen."
He names of House Marsten's most skilled guards.
"
As for signalling you... I was thinking horns. That would be the fastest method, and unlike a rider a horn blast can't be shot down after departing."

Gwyneth Marsten wrote:Gwyn pursed her lips.

"
I wonder...is there a prominent Green who might join your cause?"
she asked. "
Someone who's sense of honor and propriety would override notions of faction, and prompt them to ride with you?"


"
Someone important...that wouldn't be worth the sacrifice."

"
Perhaps Davain Bartheld? If he falls, Fendrel would inherit which would mean House Bartheld goes black. I don't know if he's any good as a warrior, though, and if this is just what it seems we will need skilled warriors. I also don't know if he would agree to go in the first place... I could ask Ser Eoric, but he is a black supporter;
if someone other than Lord Gorman is behind this then they might be more than happy to see him fall as well."

Gwyn brightens.

"
No no! Eoric is perfect! He may be a black supporter, but he's the son of Lord Tully! If he were to die by some Green machination, why...I imagine he'd be livid! He might even withdraw support! They wouldn't risk that, Baelon."


She grins.

"
Or shouldn't, at least. Do you think you could convince him?"

"
Perhaps. I can certainly ask. I believe he's a good man, but I'd be asking him to possibly ride into an ambush. I mean, there's every possibility that information was fed to Lionel Darry by green hands, but that Darry is in control now. Ser Eoric agreed to be on my melee team, but this is asking for a whole lot more."


He stops himself before he starts talking about the possibility of death. He knows that Gwyn knows... but saying it would only serve to frighten her more.

"
It's probably too late to see him now, but I can write a letter, at least try to convince him to meet us in the morning. Will you help me?"

He turns to his future good-sister.
"
Dyana, final details will be determined with the others in the morning, so there's no need to work it all out now. I'm sure you have preparations to see to..."

Gwyn steps forward and takes hold of Baelon's arm. "
Will I help you? I'm already helping you. Of course I'll help you! I don't know about a letter though. A lot of things can happen to a letter"


She grimaces. "
All right, no. I can't go down that path, or I'll start jumping at every shadow. Yes, a letter. Just, lets write it in terms of the melee, yes? Just in case."


With that, Gwyneth looks at Dyana and offers her a weak smile.

"
Thank you for helping. Not that you wouldn't, but it eases my mind to know you'll be there too. Just be careful."

"
I meant 'help me write the letter'"
he says, chuckling softly. "
You are already being a big help to me."

"
I know what you meant,"
she reproves gently. "
And I meant that I will. So! Lets get to work, shall we? The night is young, and will be full of errors. Proofreading will take time."

"
We should probably send one to Dunstan, too... I mentioned Ser Eoric as a possibility earlier, but if he is to come along we would need to convince someone else to stay behind... or join the back-up force instead."


He puts his hand on her arm.

"
There's one more thing. There's a chance that someone is trying to get us to take our fighting forces away to leave our camps weak. When we leave in the morning, I don't want you to come back here. Get Corrine, Ellie, even Lady Yve and Lady Isobel if you can convince them - go somewhere either very public or very well guarded by friendly faces."

That thought takes Gwyn aback for a moment, but she nods.

"
When are you leaving?"
she asks.