~ The War of the Stag ~ | Game of Thrones

[67596]

There was a knock at the door and Vani started to go back downstairs. "No no, dear. Leave that to me." said Mrs. Greenley. She turned right back around again and finished her walk, disappearing in to Mim and Ranon's room. Mim was there, rolling miserably among the blankets of her bed. She said she had been feeling ill recently, but she had taken it as some devilish ploy to get her in trouble or something. "Oirani!" said Mim when she saw her. The little girl reached out both arms to Vani. She obligingly came to the bed and sat down, laying the back of her hand on Mim's forehead. It was hot to the touch and she was whiter than Vani last remembered. After checking for the rash, she found it starting behind the ears and neck. "You haven't been scratching, now have you, Mim?" she asked. Mim replied that she hadn't, Oirani, she hadn't. It was clear that the girl had, but the measles were far too serious for Vani to feel in the right of the moral compass to chastise her. Still "You know that'll only make it worse." Mim watched her. "Am I going to die?" Vani stroked the girl's hair. "Of course you're not going to die. I'm here to take care of you now." She took the excessive amount of clothing off of Mim and set her under the covers of the bed. A bath with some alcohol might do her good and she needed lots of bedrest. That and she had to keep Ranon as far away from the room as possible...

 

Mrs. Greenley opened the door with her boy in hand. There was a soldier there with the sign on Winterfell on his armor. She immediately stepped back a few paces and set Ranon down, telling him to go play somewhere away from the bedroom. He chose the living room instead and began tearing things up in there. "It's by Lord Dante's command that we search every house, so if you could bring all those into the house downstairs, it would make the work quicker and easier." "Dear heavens." said Mrs. Greenley. "Is there a spy in the village?" she asked. The soldier simply shook his head. "Well, there's Ranon" she said, bringing her son back to the front. "Little Mim is upstairs with the measles and I have the maid looking after her-I don't suppose you need Oirani, do you?" The guard peered up the little stairwell as if he expected to see something. "I'm afraid I do, madam. If she's not who we're looking for, then I promise she can get right back to work." "Oh dear." muttered Mrs. Greenly, lifting her skirts and going upstairs.

 

((And now I must go to school.))

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Dante was impatient. He saw the guards speaking with people and the people saying that they hadn't an idea why they went knocking. A few guards gathered at a nearby home and he walked to them. There were children there, and they seemed to be calm. "... Again, don't harm any of them," he insisted. He wanted no bad names on his head.

 

[sCHOOOOLLLLLLLL.

Bleh.]

[RainDash]

Lenora waited just outside the castle in Winterfell. Dante was out and about doing something about family and how he couldn't lose another sister. She didn't question him, but she had to remain behind while he went. Someone had to be in charge while he was gone. Her blue eyes watched each flake fall from the sky with only mild interest. She sighed, and her breath swirled about in the cold air, a frosty mist dancing with the snow for a few moments. She reached down to stroke he dire wolf, Fang for comfort. It had been long since Dante had left, but he would return safely soon.

 

"My lady, we should head inside before you become too cold." A soldier behind her stated.

 

Lenora looked behind her, blinked once and nodded. She walked inside the castle, feeling the fires inside already warm her up once more. However, she wished that the cold she felt when she noticed her husband's absence would melt just as quickly as the snowflakes on her cloak. He'd return soon, she knew.

 

[Can I second the school suckiness?]

[Chicogal]

((Okay. Here I go, once again delving into an unknown world~!))

 

Anthony Stark was busy in his workshop in the castle. He had never been the type to do any work involving people himself, which was why he wasn't out and about with his father. No, he preferred science. Science was so fascinating, what it could do. He hummed softly to himself as he played about with a piece of metal. Crafting weapons; now there was a skill of his. His specialty was blades. This was a type of metal he had not worked with before; it was darker and less malleable. Whistling a tune underneath his breath, he laid it on the workshop side and then walked over to his small forge. He lit it then blew out the match. A bucket was by his side already. He worked the fire up, smoke twisting up and out of the chimney. He was in his coveralls, so at least his normal clothes would not get too sooty.

[RainDash]

[We clueless ones must stick together! I've never read Game of Thrones... :S]

 

Lenora had barely come inside when she heard her son hard at work in his forge. That boy was always up there, never leaving. Still, she should visit him to make sure he was eating and not harassing the hired help again. He had a nasty habit of doing so. She walked through the castle needing only her ears to hear the banging that her son did. Something about 'science' and 'blades'. She didn't chastise him though, he was doing only what he thought was best. She reached the threshold of his blacksmithing area, and knocked lightly. "Son." She tried the speak over the noise and heat. Compared the outside, this room was cramped and hot. Like summer, she found she didn't like the harsh heat. She had only ever known cold, and it was something she always loved to see, the snow settling over the hills and the trees.

[Chicogal]

Tony was hanging away on the piece of metal with a big hammer. Inbetween bashes, he heard a voice call out. Oh, it was his mother! He perked, smiling gently. He didn't usually like his work interrupted, but he really did adore her. Carefully placing the hammer on the side, he hurried to the door and opened it. "Yeees?" he asked, before flinging it wide open and hurrying back to his work. "I'm working with a new metal!" he called out over the fire roaring, dousing the metal before putting it back into the flames once more.

[67596]

((Don't you guys worry. I'm new to this too.))

 

Mrs. Greenley came in the door and Vani didn't glance back. She was busy bringing a bathing tub in and setting it down. She had been preparing for that bath she intended to give to Mim. Instead, she was being told to get up, she was wanted downstairs directly, it wouldn't take long. Mim's mother took over the bedroom for a while and she went downstairs, as maid-like as she could muster. There was a guard waiting patiently in the front room. The door was closed for the sake of keeping the warmth in. It looked like he was being pestered by Ranon. She took the boy by the hand and pulled him away. The soldier seemed releived. She could see that other houses were under simmilar inspection. The guard looked her over, examined her hands, hair, eyes, and stature. She was asked her name. "Oirani Cinav, sir." she replied timidly. After a few other questions about personal interests such as 'Are you fond of sketching', which she replied to with a lively "I've never been able to draw, sir" she was taken outside. It took a while to get Ranon off. She was surprised every time he demanded that she promise to come back. The soldier looked halfway between hope and crushed dissapointment under the familiar steely look she had come to know from them. Outside was a handful of girls, all around her height, but mostly shorter, with the same brown hair and nearly silver blue. However, their weights, clothes, and degrees of confusion and panic varied. It hit her that she was being looked for. Had the castle been taken over? Was she going to be executed? There was a very pretty looking girl down at the end with nice clothing and untainted hands. Any intruders might mistake her for Vani and she would be home free. She folded her hands and looked for the person in charge, purposefully keeping her head down in case something foul did find her.

[Mousia]

(I have also not read Game of Thrones, nor have I seen the show.)

(Also, should the trip to see Lady Lysa just take a really long time since Lysa's out...?)

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[i'm KINDA new... ]

 

Lord Stark looked at the people all lined up in front of him. He meant them no harm, and he would see to it that it was followed. The people were somewhat hostile. Men glared and women shivered. Probably they thought that he was going to harm them. "I am looking for my sister, Vani Stark," Dante said, his voice calm. But hopeful. Always hopeful. "She disappeared after a carriage crash a year ago. I have been looking for her ever since." when she was born, he had already fathered his first son, Anthony, and he was five. His mother popped one last one out at the last moment. "She is deeply missed." Especially by me... "If no one knows where she is, you may return to your duties."

 

[it wouldn't, no. She's nearby. ^^]

Edited April 30, 2013 by TwilightMoonDragon

[Mousia]

(Well yeah, but she still has to get Marissa back and compose herself and stuff before she can see Esther.)

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[so do ya wanna wait?]

[RainDash]

The door opened and she was allowed inside. Lenora watched her son with the different metal he was so excited about. It was cute, that he got so excited about this stuff. Lenora shut the door behind her, allowing the noise to be drowned out by her son's metal working. Always so absorbed in his metalworking. "I was merely wondering how you were doing." Lenora said. She was a woman of few words. Most guards that had never met would consider themselves lucky to be burdened with a single word. Family was different, treated to full sentences and sometimes paragraphs. However, it was as hard to have her speak when she knew she was mincing words. She watched her son, wondring if he was going to be fit to take over the Stark household.

 

[Game of Thrones is on my 'to read' list...]

[Takhesis]

Marissa bowed her head and remounted Spirit, though what her mother said about the Mountains of the Moon was ridiculous. She couldn't have gone that far without the household guards stopping her.

 

Perhaps it would have been more fitting for me not to have been noble-born Marissa thought, rather uncharitably, No-one cares what the poor girls get up to.... and the works the same either way.

 

"I'll go straight to the kitchen then - and do such work as befits a female." She rode back to the castle, restabled Spirit and changed out of her riding gear.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[Want Hiserio and Marissa to interact? Hiserio is in the kitchen... Doing his thing.

[Takhesis]

[Why not? I'm assuming Lady Lysa will be dealing with the Captain before returning and re-composing herself.]

 

Having changed out of her riding gear, Marissa wore some of her older clothes - ones that were more suitable for working in the kitchen, though they were still better quality than most would be able to afford.

 

"Mother sent me to help out." The head cook would find some work for her, not unusual for Marissa to help out - though it would normally be if they were expecting other nobles. Or as a punishment....

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[You want Lysa to interact with the Captain..? ^^;]

 

Hiserio swept the floor more angrily, narrowing his eyes and pretending that it was Esther now. Stupid! Coming to the Eyrie... did she know how close it was to King's Landing..? Suddenly, someone walked up and he raised his violet eyes to the Princess... Kind of. She was a princess... The princess of the Eyrie. "... You work in the kitchen too..?" he asked.

[Takhesis]

[since the Captain is an NPC it doesn't matter either way... I was just curious as to how much trouble he was in.]

 

Marissa looked sideways at Hiserio,

 

"On occasion, usually when the castle holds a banquet for visiting nobles. Or when mother feels I need to be punished." Marissa half-smiled, "Mother believes its good practice for when I get married off, when I'd be expected to play hostess and run the household."

 

Hiserio would probably guess which occasion this work was for.

 

[i have no idea what she'd be doing however...]

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[she'd be cleaning the kitchen, that's all. ^^]

 

Hiserio nodded softly, understanding. In his family, incest was regular. Brother to sister in weddings, and then birthing inbred children... "... Ah, I understand." he said softly, looking at the floor. She could not see his eyes. That was why he hardly kept eye contact. If someone saw them... They would know. "... Have your parents picked someone for you?"

[Takhesis]

"Not as far is I know... but with recent events it may have slipped their minds slightly." Marissa replied, as she took the cleaning implements the head cook had indicated.

 

She was referring to the political coup that the Baratheon family had pulled, and of course the uncertainty that went with it.

 

"I suspect that potential suitors will be chosen based on political requirements." Marissa knew that in an uncertain atmosphere, marriage was often the key to securing an alliance - or as tribute to stave off a war. Which might also explain why there was a delay in her own wedding - negotiations that she wasn't privy to.

 

After all Marissa was the same age now as her mother was when she got married - in fact it was entirely possible that her mother was already carrying her, if you looked at exact ages for comparison.

[67596]

((I'm sorry. I kind of passed out all evening.))

 

Vani looked up eagerly at the familiar voice. That was her brother. Where was her brother? He had been talking long enough for her to see that he was actually right in front of the line. However, he looked a little older, aged from responsibility and sporting a beard. She wondered if she should say anything outright. 'Oh yes, that was me. Sorry about dissapearing for a year, brother. Let's go home, shall we?' That was what she wanted to say, but it was so rude compared to what she was used to now. Maybe she could get him of on his own or... Her eyes darted between the people of the crowd. "I..." she was drowned out. "I-I beleive I might be able to help, sir." she said, clasping her hands tightly in front of her and looking down again. Was she really so far gone that she felt ashamed for speaking so loud? Some people were looking at her and she didn't like how fast those gears may have been turning. "If it's not a bother to you, sir..."

[Chicogal]

Anthony smiled gently to himself. His mother was so caring and lovely. Once the metal was white-hot, he turned back to his hammer and anvil. Then began hammering at it again, simply seeing how it would react to being welded into a small sword. Its shape was beginning to take place. He took an instrument and carefully folded the metal over. Then he began hammering again, smoothing out the blade until it was sharp on either side. It looked like a nice enough blade; maybe he would actually use it himself. He doused it and then put it back into the fire again. "I'm perfectly happy. How are you, mother? You know, this is looking to be a nice sword. Maybe I'll actually get interested in some sword use with it..."

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[it's okay, Archie. ^^]

 

Hiserio did some other things around the kitchen and looked around. There was no one there, but if the cooks found him chatting with the princess, they would beat him over the head with a spoon. He scratched at his scalp, annoyed with the dust and dirt that made it so itchy. At least it lessened the brightness of his hair so he could be presumed Lannister or Tyrell. "You should marry soon, however," he told her. "Maybe your mother will send you to the Baratheons so there is peace between the two families... Or maybe to the Tyrells? Or who knows, maybe to Lord and Lady Stark. They're looking for suitors for their son."

 

Someone spoke up. A bedraggled girl with her eyes toward the ground, and her voice as tiny as ever. She knew how she could help him..? Dante was excited. "You know where she is..?" Dante murmured, walking up to the girl. He completely towered over her, and his face was plain and cold. If she knew where Vani was...

[67596]

Vani shied away ever so slightly. She had never before realized how intimidating her brother was. Sure she had grown taller, but he seemed absolutely massive, and in that armor. She shivered. "If we could possibly speak in private...?" She didn't want everyone to see her so beaten down as a princess, a proud heir of the Stark house. Right now she was so scrawny and really just kind of dirty in general. She chanced a look up. There was anxiety and eagerness on that face. She couldn't wait to tell him so maybe she could go home.

Edited May 1, 2013 by ArchiosLukos

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Lord Dante's face sunk when the girl asked if they could speak in private. The guards came up and looked at him. "My lord, what if she harms you?"

Dante waved them away. "Come with me." he began to lead her away. Soon, they were on the edge of town, away from the rest. "What do you know about Vani?"

 

[school.]

[67596]

He was dissapointed. Why was he dissapointed? What did she say wrong? She would never even think of harming her brother. Maybe she was so unrecognizable by now. When they were finally away from the rest of the town, she turned and immediately latched on around his torso for an extremely cold but long awaited hug. "I missed you s-so." she said, crying a little bit. She hoped he didn't try to pry her off or anything. She was much more comfortable here. She could go get her trunk, call Erik, and return to the castle now.