Maekar
Site Council 
Sam/BlueLion
Posts: 1,437
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Post by Maekar on Jan 1, 2014 13:25:42 GMT -5
South of Bitterbridge, the picket line surrounds the royal army's encampment, a full six miles of light fortifications to protect against an attack. A first line of stakes, sharpened and arranged to funnel the oncoming enemy into specific corridors at various points around the camp, where they would come upon the next layer; an earthen wall, seven feet high complete with watchtowers and raised platforms for archers. These positions are constantly manned, any anyone approaching the camp from the south or west would be seen from more than a dozen miles away. Beyond the earth wall is a deep trench, about nine feet deep and lined with wooden stakes at the bottom. Various sections are covered with long wooden boards, creating makeshift bridges, but these can be dismantled in a very short time, leaving only narrow corridors of passage into the inner camp. Any enemy trying to breach the defenses here would half a difficult time of it unless they were able to fly.
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 15:11:00 GMT -5
Never one to pull rank and shirk doing the less desirable jobs around the camp, Rhaena was up in the watchtower, keeping an eye out for anything amiss, though in relied on the good sight of her watch partner, having to go back and forth grumbling to Tyraxes, who refused to stay by her tent when she was not there.
Despite the Reaches relative warmth, the nights were still cold, only warmed when Tyraxes flew up and blew her with hot air. He was bored.
She had her bow in one hand, and her sword by her side, her hair was down this time, flowing over her back in order to let it finish drying, she wore light leather armour in a crimson and black for the chest and legs respectively. A quiver of arrows was over one shoulder.
"We never seem to get a watch in the day light," She muttered half to herself, half to her companion, her hair unsettling as the wind blew through it.
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 15:14:42 GMT -5
"Aye, Princess. 'Tis good of you to share the watch when you don't have to. Not all the highborns do," said her companion, a tough veteran of many battles. "Someone has to do the night duty. We'd all be dead in our sleep elsewise."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 15:22:20 GMT -5
"I am glad to do it, it's only right, guarding the lives of those that also guard mine," Rhaena replied with a small smile that would have been a bigger grin a while before, eyes not leaving the gloom in front of her, "and please, call me Rhaena... there are no such things as princesses here."
As soon as Rhaena had finished her sentence and gust of hot wind came from behind them. Rhaena turned round to see the scaly head of her dragon dipping out of sight. She shook her head and turned back to keep watch.
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 15:31:24 GMT -5
The guard watched the dragon fly off too, before returning his attention to his duty.
"Aye, well, my pr-Rhaena. I don't think the King would like it if we didn't show our respect. All men and women should guard their home as they can," he ventured. "Dragons too. The beasts make the difference."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 15:40:26 GMT -5
"The King isn't here right now, and I shan't tell him, do whatever you are more comfortable with, it matters not to me," Rhaena replied not looking at him.
"If we had all the dragons here, this war would be over in an instant and we could all see our homes again rather than just defend them. How long has it been since you were at yours? If you don't mind me asking."
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 15:48:46 GMT -5
"Years. I have not seen my home in five years or more," he replied. "My son was almost a man last I saw him and mad for fighting. He is probably serving some lord by now. Or dead."
The soldier sounded sad but Rhaena knew that since the smallfolk had no dragons, and could rarely read and write, the only way for the soldier to know if his son lived would be for them to meet again.
"This war has been going on since I was a babe in arms," he said.
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 15:56:56 GMT -5
"Let us hope for the former," Rhaena replied, she went to King's Landing a lot more frequently by comparison, for various reasons, but she had a Dragon to take her, which made it so much easier.
"Wars cannot last forever, though this one seems to be trying it's best, There a lot more dragons now than when this war began," she reasoned, with an elegant shrug, "If I ask you a question, will you answer it honestly? I shan't be offended if you say no."
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 16:04:06 GMT -5
He looked at her for a long moment as if trying to judged her sincerity. "It is not for me to say no to a princess," he said. "Speak, if you will. I will answer truthfully."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 16:08:14 GMT -5
"Do the men believe in this war? Or are they here just because they have been ordered here?" She knew the Faith Militant was made up of those who believed whole heartedly in their misguided course, she wondered how vehement their own men were.
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 16:11:27 GMT -5
He shrugged. "Some do, some don't. There's lots of men as loves the Faith, but some just do what they're told, like good soldiers must. But, truly, the Seven ruled in Westeros long before you dragons came. But the Northmen have different gods too and they've had their own share of troubles with the Faith Militant, I hear. But for most of us, the Seven are still our gods."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 16:26:01 GMT -5
"I didn't mean just to do with your faith, I am well aware the consensus in the realm and where it lies," she couldn't quite keep the distaste out of her voice, "But that hardly matters now, I suppose," Rhaena was quiet for a long moment, "What is the name of the town you are from?"
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 16:31:25 GMT -5
He looked at her in surprise. "Village ain't got no name. It's in Lady Osgrey's lands though. Lord Osgrey of Coldmoat, the chequy lion. There's lots of little villages. Ours is the one with the hollow oak."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 16:35:50 GMT -5
"Hollow oak, Hollowoak wouldn't be a bad name for a villiage, thinking on it," Rhaena said, "What is the name of your son?"
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 16:46:06 GMT -5
"Lem." He smiled sadly in the gloom, the torch casting strange patterns of light and shadow across his face. "A good lad, to be sure. Maybe if you visit, my lady, you can name the village. We don't see many dragons at home."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 17:03:58 GMT -5
"The last thing they would want is one of the people who have torn their fathers and sons from them to come and name their villiage, I shall leave it to the brave men who will return there to do things like that," Rhaena said and looked at him in time to see the look before looking out again. She didn't feel sorry for him, not really, he was one of many, and many other families would be in worse states, but she wanted to increase her popularity with the men, "It is not on my way to King's Landing, but if I ever have a moment spare," which she doubted she would, "I shall fly to your village and ask after your son and your family, see if we can find out what has happened to him."
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 17:09:32 GMT -5
"That is kind of you," he said, though it was plain from his tone that he did not actually believe she would do it. "I never knew you dragons cared about the likes of me."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 17:27:51 GMT -5
"What is a kingdom without its subjects?" Rhaena asked, turning to face him and giving him a beautiful smile, "And happy subjects make ruling them easier, so really trying to help them is just my way of making my job easier," her tone was light and conversational now, a mile away from the sombre one she had previously been using.
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 17:36:45 GMT -5
He frowned at her,
"I wish the king thought that. I never heard of a king who cared about his subjects. Even the Gardeners didn't, when they ruled us. Perhaps you should rule us next."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 17:40:21 GMT -5
"I would not let my brothers hear you say that, bastard or trueborn," Rhaena replied, "perhaps people who think like me do not have the makings of good rulers, I always thought the King should be the biggest servant in the realm, considering they are the only person in it who serves everyone, for their good. I am perhaps misguided."
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 17:59:08 GMT -5
"I never met a dragon like you before, my lady," the guard said. "But I ain't no king or lord neither. It's not for me to say who should rule. But at least you are a dragon who cares."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 18:12:11 GMT -5
"A lot of us care more than we let on, even the King. I should know, he is my father," That part may not have been strictly true. She just hoped the war was over before Aegon took the throne, who knows what kind of nonsensical peace talks he might hold with his beloved faith. "I think our watch is coming to an end for the evening, she said, looking down the ladder to see if their replacements were on their way up.
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Post by Vhagar on Jan 1, 2014 18:22:49 GMT -5
Sure enough, the next shift of sentries were coming along towards them, one of the men carrying a torch to light their way.
"Aye, i will think on all you have said, my lady. Gods protect you." He wisely didn't say which gods. "I pray that you will live long yet."
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Post by Queen Rhaena Targaryen on Jan 1, 2014 18:28:04 GMT -5
"So do I," She said, with a grin that more resembled her when she still had all of her youthful enthusiasm, and sat on the ledge before lowering herself off and meeting Tyraxes halfway to the ground, the two of them flying off in the direction of Rhaena's tent.
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all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too