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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 8:16:21 GMT -5
The host of the western lords assembles at the fortress of the Golden Tooth. Lord Stafford is in command, with hundreds of noted warriors streaming to his banners. Also, thousands of sellswords swell the ranks. As news of the defeat sprinkles through the army, some discontent swirls, but gold and fear and the sheer power of the army makes real dissent minimal. In addition, rumor rides about that the King himself will be taking the field in the next engagement.
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 11, 2015 10:00:53 GMT -5
Ser Jaymes sought out his father upon hearing the news about Acorn's Hall and Eddard's Rest.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 11:11:48 GMT -5
Lord Stafford is preparing to leave with a force to reorganize the routed army. He nods as his son approaches. "Want to join us, son? The bloody rivermen fight well, I cannot fault them on that."
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 11, 2015 11:21:32 GMT -5
Jaymes had assumed they were leaving, but was somewhat unimpressed that he had not been sent word. "Father. Is it true the king will be joining us?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where are we headed?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 11:23:50 GMT -5
"East, to pick up Lord Lefford's remains," his father answered, sounding annoyed. "I had sent Donnyld to come find you, but the whoreson probably fell asleep in some camp follower's roll." Stafford raises an eyebrow. "The king? Why would he do something stupid like that?"
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 11, 2015 12:04:21 GMT -5
Jaymes nodded, content with the explanation, then shrugged. "The men are talking. Where there's smoke, there's usually fire," he commented.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 12:08:30 GMT -5
Stafford rubs his gold beard and nods. "I suppose so. We must make haste, to return the king's army to him as intact as we can make it. You will command the main body," he states. "Son."
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 11, 2015 12:20:40 GMT -5
"Me?" he asked, straightening his back so he stood a little taller. "I thought you were going to do it. What's changed?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 12:22:42 GMT -5
"I'll be arranging something." Stafford mutters, annoyed. "I think your sister may be using her wiles on our king. Perhaps it's time she went to go meet her lord husband." He claps Jaymes on the back. "You'll make me proud."
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 11, 2015 13:47:20 GMT -5
Jaymes did not seem one bit surprised by the news, but frowned at the timing. "Already? We are in the middle of war, and so is Gulltown."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 11, 2015 16:38:53 GMT -5
"Which is exactly why the last thing we need is for your sweet and too-smart by half sister manipulating things to her own gain. We need the Graftons to tie the Stark's hands in the east, and your sister binds them to us permanently." Stafford heads to his desk to write a letter. "Do you know anything about Volantis?"
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 12, 2015 11:40:48 GMT -5
"Other than the fact that it is a Free City at the Mouth of Rhoyne and ran by Triarchs, not a whole lot," replied Jaymes, who had always lost interest in his history lessons whenever they crossed the Narrow Sea. "Oh, they have elephants." He looked skeptic now. "Are you going to ship me off, too?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 12, 2015 12:37:55 GMT -5
"Of course not, son," Stafford chuckles. "I had rather thought of having them ship someone here. They are powerful allies, son. Vastly rich with hundreds of thousands of soldiers they can hire. And they are going to give us a crown." He steeples his fingers. "There is a man named Vhagus Blackfyre, who is rallying the entire Dothraki Sea behiind him. Only Volantis has a prayer at stopping him, and they are willing to pay dearly for our help in doing so."
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 12, 2015 12:45:01 GMT -5
He frowned deeply and mulled this over.
"The Dothraki are afraid of the sea," Jaymes finally commented, having always found ironic given what they called their own lands. "And even so, Volantis lies between them and us. Why must they all come here to fight?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Mar 12, 2015 12:48:32 GMT -5
"So that you can have the Rock again," Stafford says. "And the Dothraki fear this Vhagus and his giant dragon far more than any water." He points to a map on his table. "The north will not bow to Volantis, nor will Dorne. King Derek's queen is Volantene, but we have more men than they do and if necessary we can push them aside." He grins. "Surely the thought of an exotic bride, beautiful and enormously wealthy appeals to you?"
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