[Epilogue]The Call of Duty (Closed)

Daveth was sitting, watching the river. He was thinking about everything that had happened throughout the tournament. Thinking of the wide-eyed boy awestruck by the grandeur of the bread and salt ceremony. He'd run into *the* Ser Baelon, and babbled somewhat.

And now, Ser Baelon was about to lead their banner house.

Thinking of his father, barely considering him worth the effort of talking to, only keeping him around as a 'spare', in case something happened to Garret.

And now, he was heir.

He was also thinking of Dyana. Of the fierce, independent woman who verbally sparred with him on their first dance. And of the emotional woman he'd met yesterday, turning to *him* for comfort and support.

And now, Dyana should be coming to meet with him. For the last time this tournament.

He'd changed, he knew. For better and for worse. Mostly better, he thought. And now it was time to see where they both stood, in the cold light of day.

He should probably be considering what to say more, but he keeps drifting off, thinking of the kiss they shared, while unconsciously gently running his finger along his lips.

Dyana arrives at the Wheel Tower dressed in simple riding leathers. The Marsten delegation was to leave not much later that same day, and she was all but ready to go. Her belongings were packed, her tent stored, her horses saddled and her wounds tended. There was only one last goodbye to say.

Daveth Coldbrook. The steward heir of House Coldbrook, half a decade younger than her, slightly shorter, and at a glance unimpressive. Not a strapping knight on horseback, or a dignified and imposing lord holding his sword high, or a broad-shouldered young noble smiling his intentions. No, she'd seen all of these before - shallow husks of manhood trying to wiggle towards her, those that felt they were up to the task. And didn't think her an abomination for taking up steel.

No, this man might have appeared less, but he was more than all of those combined. His was an intriguing, alluring mind, and the fire of his heart... she could feel it, she told herself, even as he left her the last time. He was willing to cast aside all doubt - even though doubt there was - and shoulder through all obstacles - and what obstacles she'd shown him - just to reach her. He was still young, and had not yet grown out of all his insecurities... but what a fine Lord he'd make one day. And what a man he managed to be, even today.

Trying not to focus too much on her musings, Dyana approaches him, walking with her usual poise. For all she had been physically wounded not many days before, she seemed just fine right now, as she smiled warmly at Daveth's back. "
Greetings, my Lord."
She says teasingly.

This time, Daveth isn't startled. Smiling, he smoothly stands and turns around. "
Greetings, my Lady."
he responds lightly. "
You look well. All packed and ready to leave?"

"
Almost."
Dyana nods at his smooth return. "
All packed. Not yet ready to leave... there was someone I needed to see first."
Her eyebrows perk up, though it doesn't seem voluntary or playful. She waves her hands about her.

"
How... are you?"

Daveth gives a crooked smile. "
I'm well. But ... distracted. It used to be that I could focus on a task unerringly for hours. Now, I find my thoughts repeatedly returning to the same event, regardless of what it is I'm trying to think of at the time. Tell me, have you ever felt similar?"
a twitch in his lips. "
Are you now?"

"
Yes."
Dyana answers both questions with a nod. "
I've been thinking of you lately. I was thinking about you before you came to my tent, but it's been... constant, since then."
She shrugs, and gives him a smile. "
I suppose it has been some time since anything of the sort has happened to me. I don't regret it.

"
But then, Daveth, I... where are we? I've asked you so many times, if you are sure... I warned you of problems you might have to face. I am still tempted to ask you if you know what you are doing, but I suppose I already know the answer. It is I, isn't it, who must respond to this, now?"

Daveth gives a slow nod. "
Yes. But there are some things you should know. And you should know them before we continue. Firstly, for our House's claim on Castle Grenward to be secured, we had to promise Lord Tully that when our heir, meaning me, has an heir themselves of fostering age, they will be fostered at Riverrun. A good education, certainly, but we all know what's coming, and the current Lord Tully leans Green, while our house is Black.

"
Also, we don't have a sept in the castle. And given that even our godswood isn't really worthy of the name, realistically, don't expect that to change. At least not for a good few years."


He sighs. "
And one last thing. The big one."
he steps closer, and lowers his voice. "
I told you before that I was spying on Ser Theomore Tullison. That's ... not a one-off thing. The things that I've become aware of, I won't share with you, but they uncover a black and rotten heart. He will continue to foment strife and cause harm to innocents until someone exposes his crimes and brings him to justice.

"
I have sworn that I will do that."
a pause. "
I can't claim my motives are entirely pure - I am hoping to reach some sense of closure on a still-open wound by doing so - but the goal is without a doubt a just one.

"
But you should be aware that doing so is not without risk. He is skilled and well-experienced in that world, and should he realise what I'm up to, my life will be in great danger. And quite possibly the lives of those closest to me, though that's pure supposition. And should his nephew discover it, we face disaster from a different angle. Nonetheless, I am committed to this task."


Daveth lets out a deep breath, and looks down for a moment, before looking back up at Dyana. "
And there you have it. My final secret. Now you know pretty much exactly what you'll be walking into. If you decide to. Yes, I still want you to. But if you'd rather walk away, well, I'll be disappointed, but I'll understand. But obviously, regardless of what you decide here, I'm trusting you to keep this secret, even from your own sister."

Dyana gives several slow nods as Daveth speaks. By the time he's finished, she has her arms crossed and her head lowered in concentration.

She then looks up at him, her tone serious. "
Your secrets are safe with me. As I believe mine are with you. Trust me, I have not told anyone, ever, what I have shared with you. Not my cousin, nor my sister, nor anyone else. The only others who know discovered things first-hand, not by my words."
She gives a small shrug, unsure if this subject upsets him or not. She needn't linger on it, either.

"
But, on the other things you have mentioned. You say if I were to marry you, our firstborn would be... fostered to... the Tullys?"
Dyana's face is a pained grimace. "
Why would you ever... well, that is not sufficient to drive me away from anything, but... it's sad. A good thing, politically, but I never saw myself, as a mother, coping with that. I... won't think on it now."
She waves it off, eager to get to the next point.

"
The lack of a sept is incovenient, but I can work around that. Surely there are septs I could visit. It's something to work on. Much more worrying to me, about your castle, is... the curse. Is it real?"
She blinks at him. "
Do you believe it? Have you ever seen anything? I would not live with lost souls."
Her expression is concerned again. "
What does the curse do, exactly? Noises at night? Terrible illness befalling the residents? Ill fortune?"
Her head is shaking softly.

"
And Ser Theomore, I... must you really do this, Daveth? I don't know much about what happened between you, though I know it was Joren..."
She trails often for a moment, trying to place herself in his place, thinking of Gwyneth, and then lets out a deep sigh. "
You are sure that what happened was no accident? I know your heart will always hold dark thoughts about this, but for the sake of those who are alive, and mean to get close to you... is all this danger necessary? Would you rather lose me than lose your vengeance, if it came to that?"

Rather than explain his reasoning for accepting the Tully deal, Daveth limits himself to the points she raises. "
Is the curse real? I say 'no'. I wasn't joking when I described some of the testing I've previously done. But I am very much in the minority on that point. As for what it does - noises, yes. But caused by the wind. Ghostly apparitions, I feel caused mostly by a mix of expectations and a wholly different kind of spirits. Aaaand also the occasional mass death of everyone living there. But to give you the most recent example, the previous occupants participated in a rebellion against the crown, unsurprisingly lost everything, and their ill-fortune was blamed on the curse."
he spreads his hands expressively. "
So, yeah. I chalk that up to more of a lack of personal accountability than any curse. I think, when it comes to the curse, it lets you see what you expect to see. So long as you don't let the mutterings of smallfolk concern you, it'll be fine."


At her questions about Ser Theomore, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before responding. "
Am I sure it was deliberate? No. Sometimes I believe it was, and he's going to want to continue the job. Other times, I believe it was wilful negligence. And, yes, sometimes I even let myself believe it was a true accident. I will never know the truth. I've accepted that.

"
But as for if it must be that way, yes, it must. But not for vengeance's sake. I'll admit, vengeance set me on this path. Or rather, the desire for my family and I to escape being frozen in a grotesque tableau of grief did. And yes, should I succeed, I believe I will feel more at peace, and finally able to move on.

"
But that's not why I *have* to do it. I know I said I wouldn't tell you of the things he's done, but I'll tell you this one, as it's nicely self-contained and small, but illustrates my point. Ser Theomore has a catspaw to do his dirty work for him. During the Equestrian competition - which, I would point out, he won - his catspaw dressed up as one of Ser Benjen Frey's men, and sabotaged Lord Haig Bracken's saddle, and tried to make sure he was noticed leaving. Clearly, the intent, as well as to sabotage a competitor, was to inflame ill-feeling between the two houses. If you were in any doubt as to Ser Theomore's involvement in this, I know about it because a sharp-eyed local spotted that something was off, and successfully identified the catspaw to the guard. Whereupon Ser Theomore stepped up, and swore under oath that 'his man' was nowhere near there at the time. Believe me when I say: he was.

"
That was by no means an isolated incident. You remember the chaos and violence that spread through here the other night? I'm willing to bet a fair proportion of the grievances looking to be settled that night were set up by him previously in the tournament. People *died* that night. And I'm the only one who knows even this much.

"
Which means my options are either to expose Ser Theomore for the blackguard he is, or the next time there's an explosion of violence, and people die, I'll be forced to ask myself 'could I have stopped this?'. And the time after that. And again. Each time people die, and I could have saved them, and I'm the only one who could save them, and I didn't even try? Their deaths name me craven. And that's not even counting the sundry lesser destructions he inflicts upon the innocent.

"
You understand duty."
from his tone, this is a compliment, not a question. "
You understand that with power comes responsibility, even if that responsibility comes with risk. With the power to protect your family from the clans, comes the responsibility to risk your life doing so. With the power to fairly administer lands comes the responsibility to do so. With the power to heal comes the responsibility to.

"
With the power to save innocents from the predations of a monster comes the responsibility to. And if that task just so happens to help with the healing of an old wound, well, that's just the gods being kind. But I cannot, will not, and shall not avert my eyes and pretend that I know nothing simply to have an easier life."
Throughout, Daveth's not angry or agitated, or doubtful. He's sure in his beliefs and his conclusions.

Dyana listens to it all with a somber expression, nodding at appropriate times, and eventually folding her hands together and lowering her gaze to around his chest. Through his examples, and illustrations, and lectures on duty... she shakes her head before speaking.

"
I understand why you believe you must do this, Daveth, and I am not saying that your reasoning isn't... valid. But however many arguments and causes you put forth, it doesn't change what this really implies, and you're only painting your enemy as a more and more dangerous person.

"
You don't want a blade to find Ser Theomore's back or throat in the dark - you want to expose him before everyone, but you must realize that there is a much greater risk in doing so. If you search for attention, you are bound to find it, and you may not enjoy sharing it with your... 'prey'."
Dyana sighs heavily. "
What is most important about this is what you have said yourself - that your life will be in great danger, and quite possibly the lives of those closest to you. Supposition, perhaps, but the more we speak of the matter, the more it rings true.

"
Do you not see your duty in this, Daveth, really? Do you believe that it is your calling to endanger your own family further in order to... save innocents from the predations of a monster? Are those around you not innocents in this?"
Dyana's head is shaking more vehemently now. "
You do know Ser Theomore's House, do you not? Tullison. Think of that name. Your firstborn will be fostered to the Tullys, Daveth. Daveth, think of that name too. Does that not call any thoughts of power and responsibility to you?

"
What do I care if some Bracken's saddle was messed with in the Equestrian competition? What do I care if a proportion of the grievances of some night's rioting here has your willingness to bet that Ser Theomore's involved, Daveth, if my unborn children may be at risk for it? Can't you see this?!"
Her voice wavers, and before she realizes it she's grabbing him by the collar. She looks down, takes a deep breath and releases the man, then speaks in a softer tone. "
I can't be with a man who would endanger his family over some sense that it is his responsibility to be the Seven Kingdom's justice in flesh, Daveth. It is not even avenging your brother, you said. This is not... this isn't what you should do."
She looks up at him, pleadingly, her green eyes tinted with an angry red.

Daveth opens his mouth to reply ... and can't.

It may or may not be true that it's not 'about' vengeance, but she's certainly made it clear that vengeance has blinded you to certain facts.

Daveth feels his heart being torn in two. Down one path, he betrays his brother's memory, his promise to his father, his hopes of his mother ever recovering. And down the other, he turns his back on Dyana. And he knows that it will be him turning his back on her, not the other way round, whatever his words may proclaim. And if he does that, then he knows all his claims of it not being about vengeance are a lie, for he never had a strong emotional attachment to smallfolk. They're just a convenient excuse. A justification to hide the truth behind.

There is no path forwards that won't destroy me. I am undone. Not by Ser Theomore's hand, but entirely by my own.

Unless you find a third path.

What?

What do you *want*, Daveth?

I want it all. I want to live with Dyana, and I want Ser Theomore exposed to justice.

And what's the problem with doing both?

Because if I hunt him, I'll place myself and my family at risk, and she won't live with me under those conditions.

So? There's an obvious solution.

After a few seconds' pause, Daveth locks eyes with Dyana, excited. "
I can do it! I have a plan.

"
I want to live my life with you, Dyana. And I want Ser Theomore exposed. But only one of those tasks requires that *I* be the one to do it. I will give up my hunt, right here and now, for you. Instead, I will spend time locating someone else with the skills required, take steps to ensure their loyalty, and then for each subsequent event where Ser Theomore might be committing his crimes, I'll send them off to do the investigating, completely independently, with no contact with me that can be traced back. We'll be completely safe."


And if the worst happens, and they're killed, you just turn the handle and pick out your next pawn. They're only smallfolk, after all.

...Let's just hope it won't come to that.

"
As long as I know that *someone* is working to expose him, I can walk away from all that, and still sleep soundly at night."
He steps closer, and speaks softer. "
At least, I can, if I have something I can be walking towards at the same time."

Dyana narrows her eyes, her face a study in disappointment. Her head is shaking unwittingly, still. A day before, a few minutes before, she wasn't sure what she wanted. There was... something about Daveth, some feeling, that made her think about him, but she wasn't about to leap in his arms and pledge herself to him. Then they were talking of marriage, and sharing their lives, all of a sudden, and...

Perhaps you have misjudged this whole situation, and your own feelings. It wouldn't be the first time.

"
There's always... a trace, Daveth."
She sighs, half-shrugging and opening her arms wide in surrender. "
I've told you, this isn't the right way for you to... it's not your responsibility. By the hands of the Father or your gods, Ser Theomore will suffer the fate he deserves, sooner or later. But you, you must... ah."
She sighs, exasperated, and presses her fingers between her closed eyes, lowering her head.

"
Daveth."
She says, in the same position still. "
I am not sure if you are being stubborn, juvenile, or if you are simply lying to me."
She lowers her hand slowly, and looks at him. "
I am not going to tell you in which way you are to live your life, but you insult my intelligence if you want to make me believe... Just, just let go."
His eagerness, his excitement were upsetting her. "
It's all such a terrible idea. To keep tabs on him, and live with me, and search for people you can throw against Ser Theomore. Not to mention these people would be in danger, too, and... argh."
She nearly throws her arms up.

"
I'm not lying to you."
Daveth replies softly. "
Whatever else I may do, whatever other flaws I may have, after you trusted me with your secrets, I decided that no matter what, I wouldn't lie to you. And now, there are no more secrets. It is important to me that you see me as I *am*, not how I wish to present myself, or even how I wish to be.

"
I understand what you're saying, and why. But..."
he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and when he opens them, he shows how tired he is, how worn down. "
I'm an emotional wreck right now, for all that I may appear otherwise. This whole tournament has been very tumultuous for me. What you're ... asking of me isn't something I can just agree to at a moment's notice. Especially not if I want to remain honest with you, for all that I may genuinely mean it at the time.

"
My investigations into Ser Theomore are already on hold until the next big event. After this meeting, I won't see you for at least most of a year, depending on if and when you go to House Drakeson. Rather than decide something this big after just a few days, I request we delay, until we've both had time to carefully consider the matter with clear heads. And we can both decide who we really are, and what we truly want. Right now, I feel that every decision I make would be the wrong one, for the wrong reasons."

Dyana sighs, echoing Daveth's same tiredness, then nods heavily. "
I'm not about to make any big decisions at this moment. I wasn't, from the beginning. And I, well, I think I can understand you. I shan't agree, not now, but I won't force anything onto you. Just, just know where I stand. Keep that in mind, for I don't think it will change overmuch.

"
About this next year, I did want to talk to you. Arrange a meeting, a few months from now."
Dyana tries to shake off some of the gravity from the last subjects, shrugging nonchalantly and giving him a smile again. "
I'd like to have a cyvasse match or two against you, if you can find the time. Perhaps we can talk other matters then, or maybe not;
much like you, I have no agenda beyond enjoying the game. What do you say?"

Daveth nods. "
Lord Dunstan has requested my help in attempting to diagnose and treat his mother. While I warned him that I have no great expertise in that area, I offered him 2 months of my time to try, once I've helped get House Drakeson off the ground. Given how close your lands are, it will be no problem to visit you on my return journey. Probably in about four months."


He holds up a forestalling hand. "
And before you wonder, I have no objective there beyond the medical."
After all, the only crime Ser Theomore's likely to commit on his own lands is my murder, and I'm rather hoping it won't come to that. He pauses. "
Well, okay, I'm hoping for a diplomatic result as well, but that should be a natural side-effect."


"
Still, I think after that trip, the opportunity for your company and a pleasant game or two will be a nice change."
a wan smile. "
Thank you. For everything."

"
That sounds good. I will be in Hartshorn during that time, then, and I will welcome you personally when you stop by. And don't bother bringing the board, I do have one."
She smiles simply at him.

"
Well, then... I suppose I must be going."
Dyana shrugs, then takes a step closer to him. "
Take care of yourself?"
She says, lifting her arms as if to invite a hug.

Daveth steps forwards and gently hugs her. "
I will. Take care of yourself, too. It's been my pleasure and privilege to get to know you here."


(OOC: I'm assuming you're not saying/doing anything too unexpected, so for the sake of efficiency, I'm adding my last words here:)
He breaks the hug and steps back. "
Until we meet again."
and with that final goodbye, he turns and leaves. He even manages to not look back as he does so.