[D8, EN] Lights in the Dark (Open)

"
Therefore you send me. You need my men, as they are experienced, you need Henryk as he is a brilliant commander, I am just an obstacle who hasn't commanded in anything bigger than skirmishes for the last ten years. You send me to talk to them and you'll win either way. If you wish for me to sweeten the deal further, how about this? I bring Athelstan and Leifnarr with me. They are both little more than nuisances for you, and if it fails, you'll get rid of them both."
Yoren points at the board: "
Your move."
Clearly seeing the double meaning of his statement.

She moves her dragon further into his ranks, her brow furrowed.

"
Is that what you think I see you as? I am not as cold as my mother, Yoren. I may not like Athelstan, but I would not intentionally send him to his death. And I am on good terms with Liefnarr. Even if I despised the lot of you, I would not just throw you into a lion's den."

"
Despising has nothing to do with it. I'm more than willing to make a sacrifice like that if It'll pay off. What we would die for is just as important as what we live for. Remember that."

"
Yes. I know,"
Corrine answers, studying the board, planning her next move.

"
So... what do you think your father will do with Athelstan? I heard he was returning home."

"
Depends, mostly upon whether Athelstan returned. I left a guard to ensure it, but gow loyal they turn out to be, I won't know. Most likely he will be put before my father to be judged. Either death or trial of fire is my guess, remember that we don't shed the blood of family."
Yoren moves a horse before saying: "
at least consider my way of peace first."

"
It was already in my consideration. I appreciate your eagerness, but pushing me before I know the lay of the land fully will not be helpful,"
she states gently, but firmly. "
What is this trial by fire? You say your people don't shed the blood of family, but that was precisely what your brother did. He claimed to be justified. It seems your house is conflicted on that matter."

"
He did, that's why he'll get punished. If my father chooses to drown him immediately he'll obviously die, trial by fire, however gives him a fighting chance... I won't go into particulars, suffice to say, it involves naked skin, white hot iron rods and gruesome infections... You give him a chance to live, no matter how slim."
Yoren tells her. "
You still care for him?"
He asks while he does his next move.

"
I don't believe so. I'm not sure I ever did,"
Corrine confesses, watching Yoren's move. "
I took a liking to him initially, perhaps because I am unaccustomed to such attentions and he was charming &
handsome. I liked being desired as a person, rather than seen as a walking title. But our incompatibility became apparent very quickly. I never claimed to care for him beyond my natural empathy, but he took things far more seriously than I was comfortable with. He did not help matters by giving me his severed eye in a box as punishment for rejecting him."


She sighs sadly.

"
I never intended to hurt him, but a relationship between him &
I would never have worked."

"
I know both sides of that story, been the subject to both myself. Haven't ever gotten an eye for it though.. The closest I ever came was a poisoned crossbowbolt to the shoulder. Don't worry too much about him, in many ways like a storm, angry, but its over soon enough. He is young and foolish, and haven't learned a bit, in a few weeks it will be this new girl of his that receive his anger."


"
It is baelon I'm worried about, my father never forgets a slight. No matter how little he cares for Athelstan causing the ill justice of champions will not easily be forgotten."

"
Enough doom and gloom: How is your wedding coming along? Is everything ready? Will it be a big arrangement, to rival the tourney of Gorman, or a simple ceremony with friends and family?"

"
We cannot make much in the way of plans until we hear back from Lady Arryn, but our intention is to have a modest wedding. Quiet, civilised. Assuming we get permission from Lady Arryn promptly, we could have the ceremony in about two weeks. It depends on how fast a raven can fly,"
she adds, with a little smile, bringing her elephant into the fray upon the board.

"
Hopefully she'll be swift in her reply."
Yoren tells her before grabbing the elephant.

"
This sculpture does it little credit: Elephants are some of the most incredible creatures I've had the chance to see. They live both in the far north and to the far east. How they came to be represented on a board game in westeros is beyond me, but majestic creatures nonetheless."


Lowering his voice to a whisper he confides to Corrine: "
If I haven't been killed in the next month, I hope to give some to Daveth. The ones of the north are smaller, but I hope he appreciate it nonetheless. But don't tell him."
Yoren says, his face severe, but with glee in his eyes.

Yoren's confession brings a smile to Corrine's face;


"
Your secret is safe with me. But why do you think you might be killed? Do you think your brother might try to improve his own claim with violence?"

Yorens smile dissappears at the last remark: "
I... I couldn't expect you to know: Athelstan had his trial due to killing my brother, and regardless, my brother wasn't a cruel man. What I'm worried about is my father. The wildlings too is an issue, although not as dangerous. Then I'll have to speak to the mountain clans for peace, I have plenty to fear, without worrying about my inheritance. Maybe my sister will kill me too, she never has been too good with her emotions. And Leifnarr and Athelstan too will probably wish to kill me."


Smiling Yoren adds: "
It is nice to have a loving and supporting family around me."

"
I'm sorry. It was rude of me to bring that up,"
Corrine apologises. "
I asked because, well... I do npt know your sister, but compared to Athelstan, I think you are more the sort of person I'd rather deal with as a head of house. Given our agreement, it is in my interests to keep you alive."

"
It was not at all rude, you didn't know that my brother was dead. I hope to be around to work with you too, so we have mutual interests."
A smile flickers on his lips. "
Before I travel north I'll have to talk to my father, and he is a smart man I'll tell him about your goodwill. He'll hopefully try to nurture an alliance with you himself, so if I succed you'll not need me."
Yoren moves his rabble towards the front: "
Watch your king."

[ooc: She meant Athelstan. She knew Roddric was killed by Athelstan, so was expressing concern that he'd go after Yoren next.]

OOC
[Sorry I'm a nidwit, didn't think about that. ]

[ooc: It's ok. Do you want to change your post, or shall I respond to it as is?]

(It's all right, just respond as it is :;
): )

"
I did know about Roddrick, actually,"
Corrine replies, awkwardly. "
I meant That you might worry about Athelstan coming after you next."

"
Oh, my bad... I had never seen him before this tournament, so I haven't been able to wrap my head around him being my brother. I think he will come after me sooner rather than later, but it's not too much I can do about it. We don't see eye to eye"
Yorens eyes betrays that the joke was intentional. "
But I hope to be able to keep myself safe, if I just take certain precautions. Again, it's great to have a family who deeply cares for you. The opposite of being loved isn't being hated, but being ignored."

"
How is your family going? You've won a lot of glory during this tournament, the start of your reign has been a boon for sure."

"
Well, I hope things work out for you,"
Corrine replies tactfully. "
Perhaps he will see sense."


She pulls her rabble round to guard her king.

"
I am at least keeping out of trouble so far. My cousin, Gwyneth, is the one winning the day here. I think I'm doing alright though. I've had the privilege of choosing my husband, I've forged new friendships for my house, and hopefully set it up for future prosperity. I got to talk with Princess Rhaenyra for a little while too, at the Grand Ball. We have a surprising amount of things in common."

"
And you have great champions all around you, great warriors of reputation sworn to serve you."

"
Your cousin has impressed us all, but you are still receiving the fruits if her skill."
Smiling Yoren brushes a rabble aside with his elephant: "
in fact, your aptitude for the politic machinations of our courts suggests to me that you will soon beat me at this game."

"
Maybe you are just toying with me, my old master enjoyed doing that: subtly putting me in a position of definite loss, and try to hide it from me as long as possible."
Yoren winks playfully to Corrine before examining the board more carefully.

"
I genuinely have no idea what I'm doing in this game,"
Corrine chuckles, cornering his heavy horse between her dragon and elephant. "
I'm glad we didn't bet money on it. I don't think I'm much of a schemer either. I try to be honest and open-minded, that's all."

"
That's why I like you. That is why you're a good leader: You don't need to scheme, your mere presence makes people like you. Schemers will force their victims hands, and will cause resentment for it. People serve you for the simple reason that they like you, loyalty, the most powerful bond there is. As for the game, I hope you'll continue practicing, as I want some more games later on."
Yoren carefully taps Corrines horse, "
move this and you'll be out of danger, however, you'll have to find out where to put it yourself."