[D7,LM]Irreversible (Closed)

Daveth sits next to Garret, both overlooking the river. Daveth was catching his brother up on everything he'd been up to since Garret fell ill on the morning of the third day, as well as a few other items of importance. The peace deal with the Tullisons, the military deal with the Marstens, the contribution to the Maester's conclave, his pursuit of Lady Dyana;
as well as the new interest in Ser Jorah as a possible future Kingsguard, Lord Tullison being targeted by Ser Lionel Darry, and the upcoming trial of Ser Benjen Frey.

"
So, yeah. It's been ... eventful. I've never been involved with politics this ... big, before. It's always been Mother, with me helping in the sidelines, and with the small stuff. Now, here I am, negotiating with legends like Ser Baelon and Wrecker Jon. And it's just me, Garret. They'd eat Father alive out there, and he knows it."


He chuckles and shakes his head, though his expression and tone are serious. "
It's been an experience. A real transformative experience. I'm not the man I was a mere week ago. I've ... done things he wouldn't be able to"
he says, while staring at his right hand, before thoughtfully touching a finger to his lips before lowering his hand again. "
Either because I had to, or simply because I wanted to. Before, I wouldn't have had the courage. I would have held back. But if you show fear here, they'll eat you alive. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to come out swinging, like the 18-year old adopted son of a jumped-up soldier somehow has the right to stand toe-to-toe with the ruler of an old, prestigious house, or the knight whose heroism we were brought up hearing about, or even the grandmaester. Because here's the thing: belief seems to shape reality here. You act like you belong, like you have a right to look them right in the eye and treat with them as an equal, they accept that.

"
And all of that has let me discover something about myself I didn't know."



He lets the words hang in the air for a few seconds, turning to look at his brother, before continuing with the irreversible words.


"
I want to be heir."

Garret pondered his brother's update, half listening but seemingly more intent on skilfully sending stones skipping across the river. Sword, lance or stone, he was a natural with anything he picked up.

As Daveth finished, Garret underlined the extent to which he was the other side of the coin to his intense brother.

"
And I want to fuck Corrine Marsten and Queen Alicent at the same time."


A jest - heartfelt, or to conceal what he really felt?

[OOC: Awareness (Empathy) TN 8]

([url=Irreversible - many a true word said in jest? (TN8)][/url]: 3d6 14

OOC: Hey, if you've got the time for it, I'm more than happy to RP the whole chat.)

Daveth snorts at his brother. "
The Queen, rather than the princess? Well, if you have a thing for women with more life experience, I could see if Lady Isobel is interested? She's both experienced and a Marsten - best of both worlds. Plus, I hear she's only *slightly* sterner than Father."
he sticks his tongue out childishly at Garret when his elder brother pulls a face at his suggestion, glad for the opportunity to break the tension he was feeling.

"
Ah, but no."
he carries on, as if he just realised something. "
She might spirit you off to Hartshorn. That won't do. When I'm lord, I'll need you beside me, as my master-at-arms. Your interests and abilities lie in that area - well, your useful ones, anyway, until master-at-bedding becomes an actual council position, and don't hold your breath for that - and I have no interest or ability in military matters, so I need someone I trust absolutely there."
he looks his brother in the eyes. "
That's a very short list of possibles."
he carefully watches his brother's reaction to see how the idea takes him.

Garret laughs at his brother's horseplay - despite the wedge driven between their parents by the death of their brother and the uncertain Coldbrook succesion, there is no bad blood between the two.

At Daveth's proposal, Garret tips his hand by eagerly nodding his assent.

"
What of old Kieran Orell? He's served my father for decades, but his ideas on cavalry deployment are antiquated and too cautious. My superiority in the chain of command must be made clear..."


The two brothers plotted the fate of House Coldbrook and how their differing tempraments and skillsets could best guide it, as the rain swollen rivers beneath them surged on without end.

[OOC: you've got what Garret will assent to, so feel free to lay it out in the subsequent posts for the OOC benefit of other players and wrap things up, I'll dip in if needed/anything takes my fancy]

Daveth presents his plan for Garret's ascendancy: once Ser Jorah has joined the Kingsguard, Daveth will put his weight behind Kieran Orell being the next Master-at-Arms, with Garret being his assistant. If they can avoid driving each other insane, each of them will be a good complement for the other. And by the time Captain's Orell's ready to finally retire, Garret will be in the ideal position to succeed him. Assuming he's learned enough from him that he gives Garret the nod, but that's up to him.

Daveth reluctantly agrees with a demand of Garret's - that he won't be pressed into marriage yet. He does, however, place conditions: no carousing with married or betrothed women, or anything else liable to get the house tied up in a feud we can't afford. Garret is to make sure he keeps stocked up with Daveth's 'care packages'*, ensuring he remains bastardless. And no guarantee about how long the 'good times' can last, so enjoy them. Discreetly.

(OOC: Summarised, since I'm behind.)

*Apparently this wasn't as clear as I thought from context, so to clarify, the 'care packages' contain the ingredients for moon tea, plus enough coin for a local wise woman to brew it.

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