Looking After Lily (Closed)

"A generous offer, Master Mason," Corrine praises gently, then again addresses Lord Daleford. "Nathaniel is a canny businessman. He can provide you with a plan for rebuilding that goes far further than mere coin. That, along with finding Adham a wife from a financially strong family, would create lasting security for the House. I understand your reticence to be seen accepting too much help, but you can trust us to be very discreet, and you could consider it a gift from me to pay Lily's dowry."

[OOC: I think Reader is looking for some more incentive. Lord Daleford is a desperate man (and he knows the truth, and perhaps even knows we know it). He's looking for a lifeline, and sees this as an opportunity to salvage what remains of his House. He will play this opportunity for all it is worth.

I tossed a Glory Point at him, but I have a fair stack. Perhaps if Corrine offered to pay Lily's dowery. (Her match to a Knight of such stature would probably be not more than a WP. And if Corrine can guarantee whoever is matched with Adham comes with a reasonable dowery, that's all good too.

Originally, we had discussed Lord Daleford stepping down, but if Nathan can teach Adham how to run his lands.. and if he marries someone with some financial backing behind her (are there not some sacrificial Lannister virgins of iffy Status floating around?)... perhaps Lord Daleford can simply be eased into retirement and made redundant.

Of course, the fact that Nathan will have to work closely with the handsome, charming and poetic young Adham Daleford for months at a time has nothing to do with anything. ]

[She already offered to pay Lily's dowry, and was refused. I can make the bit about "a fine wife" more financially specific though.]

Lady Corrine Marsten wrote:[She already offered to pay Lily's dowry, and was refused. I can make the bit about "a fine wife" more financially specific though.]

[He doesn't want to be beholden to House Marsten (which will happen anyway). I think it is more that he wants to preserve his neutrality in the Green/Black factions. (Probably wise given their current straits.)]

Nathaniel Mason wrote:

Lady Corrine Marsten wrote:[She already offered to pay Lily's dowry, and was refused. I can make the bit about "a fine wife" more financially specific though.]

[He doesn't want to be beholden to House Marsten (which will happen anyway).  I think it is more that he wants to preserve his neutrality in the Green/Black factions.  (Probably wise given their current straits.)]

[She cares about Lily's safety. Which side he's on is irrelevant to her. If you think she should mention not caring about his politics, then I'll change it again.]

Reader wrote:
Such is the way of things then, to be set upon by jackals in my own home, perhaps with some concocted story that serves their purposes, or their puppeteers.

[He certainly is being wary of the possibility.

Also.. I am not seeing him refuse your offer of paying her dowry, only that he would not have her married to someone he did not know... which is not the case.]

Nathaniel Mason wrote:

Reader wrote:
Such is the way of things then, to be set upon by jackals in my own home, perhaps with some concocted story that serves their purposes, or their puppeteers.

[He certainly is being wary of the possibility.

Also.. I am not seeing him refuse your offer of paying her dowry, only that he would not have her married to someone he did not know... which is not the case.]

I perceived his bit about Vale silver and false stability to be a refusal of the offer to pay the dowry. Reader, can you clarify? I'm slightly distrusting my reading.]

Lady Corrine Marsten wrote:
I perceived his bit about Vale silver and false stability to be a refusal of the offer to pay the dowry. Reader, can you clarify? I'm slightly distrusting my reading.]

[My perception was he didn't want to sell his son off to the Marstens (and tie his House to theirs). It's not unreasonable for him to think you are using the situation for political advantage. We can let Reader comment one way or the other.]

[OOC: He's got some desire to rebuild and avoid too much entanglement but many of his words are bluster and delay with a different goal in mind regarding the order his children are married in - one you might be able to guess IC/OOC, given what you know of the man.]

[So, does that mean I need to alter my response?]

[OOC: no need.]

He nods at this.

"Well and good. A man on bended knee should not be too proud to accept help where it is needed."

"What of the order of marriages then? My son must be married first, to my mind, with an heir. Only then will I consent to see my daughter married, lest my family's name be snuffed out. Surely House Marsten, of all the realm's finer houses can sympathise with this situation?"

He was some distance from the Vale, but Lord Daleford kept abreast of news in the Realm - these were dangerous times, and information was powerful and could still be effectively deployed, even if House Daleford lacked the lances and coin it once enjoyed.

"I do sympathise entirely. So it shall be Adham first. I shall have him married within six months, to a highborn lady of good standing, from a good House. Once he has an heir, Lily can be married to Ser Erryk, at no cost to yourself. My only condition is that she spend the intervening time at Hartshorn as an honoured guest. Her family may, of course, visit her, if desired."

He pauses for a long time, mulling Corrine's words and seeming to revel in the silence. Would his guests lose their nerve and break the quiet, or wait Lord Daleford out?

Reader wrote:He pauses for a long time, mulling Corrine's words and seeming to revel in the silence. Would his guests lose their nerve and break the quiet, or wait Lord Daleford out?

[OOC: I think we are going to sit there and drink our lovely wine. When a man is sitting with a two and three in his hand... and there are two aces on the table... he might hold out hope he might draw the straight but it far more likely he's going to get crushed. Give him all the time he needs to realize that.]

Corrine let the silence hang, sipping her wine politely, though her eyes never leave Lord Daleford. Nathan had told her that Daleford might be like this, so she had no intention of blinking first, so to speak. If he dug his heels in further, she had the secret weapon.

He shakes his head, but still does not speak.

At the end of it, his words contradict his body language.

"Done then, though I fear I cannot afford the time to abandon my lands, nor the coin."

"They will hear of it in King's Landing is some pot-boy or cook at Harthorn fills her belly. House Daleford's name is not entirely forgotten if your stubbornness brings shame on my house and a wild bastard for an heir unless my son can get his wife with child."

Bet that conniving woman knows I cannot make the trip too, she is a crafty one. Or was prepared with the line by the ones that hold the strings.

Nathan smiled and sipped his wine.

Ignorant shanking sanctimonious old prat. Perhaps if you had been more protective of those who bore your name you'd have more of them around today and wouldn't be in this mess. I'll do what I promised. I will train Adham to be a better Lord than you ever were and I will stop your House from sliding off the cliff into oblivion. Then I will slowly and quietly retire you... and if while I'm here, I find proof that you tried to sire one of those bastards you hate so much on your own daughter, I will quickly, quietly, and permanently retire you.

Corrine smiled sweetly. It was the best way to deal with goading like that.

"Fret not, my lord. I can personally guarantee, upon mine and my House's honour, that no one shall touch her again that is not supposed to."

Especially you, you demented old pervert.

"I am glad we could come to an understanding."

After leaving Lord Daleford, Corrine, Ben, Nathan and Jon rode out into the fields, to look for Adham Daleford.

A few days hence they caught up with Ser Adham, riding with a small party near the thorpe of Twisted Tree.

"Ser Adham!" Corrine greeted him when they drew near enough to speak. "I am Lady Corrine Marsten. I bring word of your sister. May we speak privately?"