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Post by Vhagar on Apr 29, 2014 14:21:31 GMT -5
The Sun Tower is a great sandstone tower within the Sunspear palace complex. Domed, it holds the throne room of House Martell. The glass panels of the dome are set in gold. The thrones sit in a large round room with thick windows and many colored glass. The floors are made of pale marble. Within the throne room there are two seats on a dais, near twins to one another, the only difference being that one is inlaid with the Martell spear on its back and the other features the blazing Rhoynish sun that flew from the masts of Nymeria's ships. The Spear Throne is the official seat of the the Prince or Princess of Dorne. Their consort may sit the Sun Throne.
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Apr 29, 2014 17:14:52 GMT -5
Rhaegar and his party request admittance to the throne room. Behind Rhaegar, Lord Osmund and Lord Yronwood, the head of Vandaras was now borne by four men. Daenya followed immediately after, hands still tied and also surrounded by four of Rhaegar men.
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Post by Vhagar on Apr 29, 2014 17:46:21 GMT -5
OOC - guys, please can we save the OOC comments for PMs or the OOC board? OOC comments in IC threads should be kept minimal and made only by admins and possibly Site Council, though we will try to keep them out of the threads where possible as well.
Elyas is badly burned and not fit to attend the meeting. In normal circumstances he could attend such meetings if Sarella requests his presence as her sworn sword but in this instance he'd be too badly wounded and his burns need urgent attention as they have already had to to wait for more than cursory attention. I'll do you a post shortly.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2014 17:58:29 GMT -5
Daenya did indeed enter behind the group.
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Post by Vhagar on Apr 29, 2014 18:10:53 GMT -5
Ser Olyvar, who had entered with Rhaegar and the others, was careful to keep towards the rear of the group, until such time as it became necessary to reveal him as the man who struck the final blow. The party was announced, the Dornishmen named first and the two Targaryens afterwards. Sarella, a stocky woman with a sour expression, looked down on them from her throne. The seat beside her was empty. Rhaegar saw Alayne Wyl and Perros Manwoody standing with the attendant courtiers, and the walls are guarded by men in Sunspear orange.
Princess Sarella looked down upon the little group. "Welcome to Sunspear, Rhaegar Targaryen. You have my thanks for bringing me the dragon's head, and also for helping my guest find her way home again. Perhaps you might care to share the tale of your exploits. You might also care to explain why your company includes a man banished from Dorne upon penalty of death should he return." She indicated Olyvar, who did not cower in her presence, but stood straight and proud.
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Apr 29, 2014 18:41:50 GMT -5
Rhaegar gave a short bow to the Princess.
"I am pleased to be able to present the head of the dragon Vandaras to you. Ser Olyvar is a brave man, a noble knight and nobly born my lady. It is he who struck the fatal blow and enabled us to defeat it."
He looked around at his company proudly.
"These are brave men who have served you well in this matter - Ser Olyvar included. I would ask that whatever you have condemned him for in the past be forgiven for his service in slaying this dragon."
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Maekar
Site Council 
Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Apr 29, 2014 18:52:19 GMT -5
Lord Osmund was also present, and he knelt before Princess Sarella, waiting for her permission to rise. Part of his face was still bandaged, and when the Princess gave her leave, he got back to his feet, and looked to Lord Yronwood. "My lady," he said. "Lord Rhaegar speaks the truth about Ser Olyvar; it was he that struck the fatal blow, and without his spear it is likely many more men would have died ere the beast was slain."
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Post by Vhagar on Apr 29, 2014 19:08:49 GMT -5
"Indeed. I shall think on the matter," Sarella answered. "A man's good deeds must be weighed against his crimes. I have no use for traitors in Sunspear, nor men who seek to involve Dorne in the quarrels of others. Though it seems you Targaryens as as eager to involve me in your squabbles as you are to conquer my land. I care for Dornish interests above all else. So you will tell me why you have come to seek audience with me, Rhaegar Targaryen, and gods help you if you have come to seek the use of my armies/"
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Apr 29, 2014 19:42:36 GMT -5
"I have no interest in conquering Dorne." said Rhaegar in a clear carrying voice.
"Indeed my lady, I come here to offer my services in protecting Dorne from the ambitions of my Targaryen cousins."
He pointed to the dragon head. "There lies the dragon Vandaras. I know not what the dragon or its' rider, my distant cousin Daenya was doing in Dorne, but any danger they might have posed to your rule or Dorne's independence has been dealt with. As you can see... by myself - a Targaryen by name but half Dornish by blood - and my men."
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Post by Vhagar on Apr 30, 2014 5:39:53 GMT -5
"I see that," Sarella answered. "It was a brave and honourable deed. And necessary. Princess Daenya ought never have brought her dragon here. And yet, you came to Sunspear uninvited, with the Marcher lords and their entourages at your back. Why? Do you have an army of your own to help protect our land? A company of freeriders, mayhaps? My informers made no report of seeing such men among your entourage. They saw only Dornishmen who already owe me their fealty, men who have a duty to protect Dorne from her enemies."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2014 6:13:01 GMT -5
Daenya laughed when she heard Rhaegar's lame explanations.
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Apr 30, 2014 7:16:04 GMT -5
"I came here seeking refuge with my mother's people." replied Rhaegar to Princess Sarella.
"Maegor and his children bear no love for me. Indeed I fled Kings Landing fearing for my life. What can I offer you? I have commanded men in battle having stormed the walls of Oldtown, flown a dragon and now killed a dragon. Should Dorne ever be attacked again from the north by my distant kin, then you may find that someone well versed in the art of command and in dragon habits, who is also by blood part Dornish may be invaluable to both you and Dorne."
He drew himself up proudly. "I am also Lord Yronwood's grandson and by virtue of that and hopefully also by my other qualities, command the affections of several of the Dornish Marcher Lords. As you can see. Indeed my lady, my bringing them here with me was to demonstrate to you that fact. For I am sure you would have not believed me had I merely told you that it was so."
He looked the Princess squarely in the eye.
"Offering you my services is also offering you theirs. I understand that they already owe you fealty. But I am sure you understand that at times this fealty to you has been grudgingly given. And as such a divided Dorne is a weakened Dorne."
He pointed at Daenya. "This girl's kin will launch another attack on Dorne sooner or later, irrespective of my presence here. Of that you can be assured! What was the daughter of Maegor doing in Dorne in the first place? Is she estranged from her father and brothers such as the likes of Maekar Waters and Trajan Waters? No she is not! Was she fleeing for her life? No! Was she on some official embassy? Not from what I have been told! What else then could it be but to spy for her father and brothers! Even her actions in trying to escape expose her true motive. I am pleased to say that my men and I served Dorne well by foiling her devious plans."
Rhaegar lowered his voice so that only the Princess and his grandfather could hear him clearly
"A strong and united Dorne served well by men of ability and skills such as myself, will dissuade my kin from attempting any hostile action against Dorne."
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Post by Vhagar on Apr 30, 2014 10:29:53 GMT -5
Sarella frowned the entire time she listened to Rhaegar's speech, though it appeared, from the expressions of the attending lords, and the occasional cries of "Hear hear" that Rhaegar had hit his mark elsewhere. Finally, grudgingly, Sarella said "You do have a talent for making fine speeches, I'll grant you that. It seems you also have a talent for battle. I cannot deny that you did well to slay the dragon. I rather thought the beast might kill you and save me the trouble of having to deal with you. But no matter, your resourcefulness does you credit. I shall have to give your situation some thought."
She paused to let that sink in. Then she spoke up again. "In the meantime, we must consider what to do with your kinswoman, Princess Daenya. At first I wished to give the girl the benefit of the doubt when she claimed to have fled Kings Landing. But her actions since that time have been most troubling." She looked down at Daenya from her throne, eyes shining with malice. "I am not so dishonourable I will execute a fellow princess. But what to do with you?"
"Princess, may I speak?" That was Jonos Yronwood. His tone was respectful but he somehow commanded the attention of the room.
With only a few of his own retinue behind him, the Bloodroyal, stood straight and proud in the presence of a Princess that he loathed. Though the smile on his face was rather pleasant, it did not extend all the way to his eyes, which glittered dangerously. He knelt formally to the Princess, not rising until she gave her leave for him to do so, but it was a hollow gesture and everyone present knew it; this man had been defying Sunspear since before Sarella sat the Spear Throne. Lord Jonos gestured for one of his men to come forward; the man was carrying a basket, covered by a piece of linen.
"When my men took Princess Daenya prisoner, my lady, the men that you had sent to retrieve her," Lord Yronwood said, indicating to the Sunspear men who had originally pursued and caught Daenya, standing in the back of the Hall, "informed us of her escape, and her murder of the guardsman that she bribed to smuggle her out of your Citadel. When we discovered this bounty of gold in her possession, we feared that she may have stolen it from my lady's treasury during her escape, and immediately sought to return it," he added, as the man carrying the basket drew back the linen covering it and laid it deferentially on the floor at Princess Sarella's feet. The basket jingled as it hit the ground, and by the relief on the man's face when he put it down, it was clear that it contained a substantial amount of gold.
Sarella's scowling face lit up at the sight of the gold. "That is good to know, my lord. I shall have my Treasurer take inventory of the funds in my treasury and also of this little hoard here. For now, however," she looked down at Daenya. "Girl, did you steal this gold from my treasury?"
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2014 7:54:14 GMT -5
"I have a title, Princess," Daenya replied, barely holding back her contempt of the woman while keeping a smile on her face. "And the answer is no. I am able to provide for myself rather than having to steal from the likes of you."
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Post by Vhagar on May 1, 2014 13:43:17 GMT -5
Sarella called over a clerk with ink-stained fingers and began to whisper to him. The man departed the hall at once. Sarella turned back to Daenya.
"Can you? It seems that my Dornishmen have made a gift of your gold to me." Sarella favoured Daenya with a malicious smile. "How then will you provide for yourself if you manage to regain your liberty? I have been told that you murdered one of my guards. How do you answer?"
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Maekar
Site Council
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Post by Maekar on May 1, 2014 13:47:30 GMT -5
Sarella called over a clerk with ink-stained fingers and began to whisper to him. The man departed the hall at once. Sarella turned back to Daenya. "Can you? It seems that my Dornishmen have made a gift of your gold to me." Sarella favoured Daenya with a malicious smile. "How then will you provide for yourself if you manage to regain your liberty? I have been told that you murdered one of my guards. How do you answer?" "Not just one, my liege," lord Osmund said, speaking up to the Princess. "After we slew the dragon, she attacked us in the midst of our jubilation, killing two of my men and several of Lord Yronwood's, attacking cravenly while the men were already exhausted and wounded from fighting the great beast." |
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Post by Vhagar on May 1, 2014 14:49:09 GMT -5
Sarella's frown deepened. "Did she? Well then, Princess Daenya, you shall answer Lord Osmund's charges and gods help you if you lie."
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2014 16:48:01 GMT -5
"Those men attack my dragon and you expect me not to fight them?" Daenya asked, an eyebrow raised. "How much of a fool are you? Adding to that, my money wasn't theirs to take or gift to you."
She paused, then pushed her chest out and stood straight. "Princess Sarella; you are perhaps the biggest hypocrite I have ever seen. I came to you with the intent of being your friend. I kept my dragon out of your city even though I could have easily flown it in. I even paid for Vandaras to be fed several sheep a day so he would not hunt any of your people's animals down. In return I was detained in this castle without the leave to go outside the city walls. Yet here comes my cousin, whom you send to kill my dragon while he leads men that should rightfully be following your orders. I saw them out there; they aren't your men anymore, princess. You'll just believe what my cousin says? No, this man who is so honorable that he betrays his kin and slays the dragon of a person who saved his life is obviously not going to turn the marcher lords against you? Yes, he is definitely here to help you protect Dorne against the Iron Throne."
Daenya spat. "Keep my money, if it makes you happy. Keep this idiot in your court and see your lands slowly tear themselves apart. I came here with the genuine desire to be a friend, but the way you treat any outsider has shown me that you are just a pathetic, bitter and ignorant cow. Do whatever you wish, I have ceased to care."
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on May 1, 2014 16:58:25 GMT -5
Rhaegar folded his arms and stared at his distant cousin with a small smile on his face as she made her retort to the Princess.
While he waited for Sarella's response, he reflected that despite their shared name, he was more closely related to Sarella by blood than Daenya.
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Post by Vhagar on May 1, 2014 17:08:35 GMT -5
"I have no friendship with a Targaryen," Sarella spat at Daenya. "But this man, Rhaegar, has killed a dragon at my command. If he were a true Targaryen, he would have claimed the beast as his own and wrought destruction upon my house. But he did not. He killed the beast and did honour to his Dornish mother. That grants him the right to speak with me. As for you, I shall ransom you back to your kin and be rid of you."
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2014 17:15:16 GMT -5
"You have a ransom," Daenya replied. "Now put me on a ship and be done with it."
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Post by Vhagar on May 1, 2014 17:31:32 GMT -5
Sarella laughed. "Don't be foolish. The gold is mine now. Your kin shall pay the necessary ransom in addition to the gold I have been given. That is the blood price for killing my men, no more."
Though they both knew that the blood price for the guards would in reality be only a fraction of the gold presented to Sarella.
"I shall send a letter to Kings Landing as soon as this meeting is concluded, have no fear of that. The ravens fly swiftly, I know."
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on May 1, 2014 18:27:03 GMT -5
Rhaegar had been listening to the exchange between the Princess and Daenya. Now he stepped forward.
"May I speak to answer my cousin's lies?" he asked the Princess in a respectful tone.
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Post by Vhagar on May 1, 2014 18:38:29 GMT -5
"You may," she agreed. "Speak as you will."
The Dornish lords were all ears and even the whispers stopped.
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on May 2, 2014 3:09:39 GMT -5
“Thank you my lady.” said Rhaegar to the Princess. He rounded to face the assembled lords and courtiers.
“My Targaryen cousin’s attempts to discredit me in front of you all are despicable.” he said raising his voice so that the entire court could hear.
“Yes I am a Targaryen through my father Aenar, but as you know my mother was born Yronwood. My father’s mother is a Baratheon. Most of you would also know that my grandsire Lord Yronwood and Princess Sarella are first cousins. My great-grandmother Dorea was herself a Martell. Dorea’s own brother was Prince Quentyn of blessed memory the father of Her Grace, Princess Sarella. My great uncle no less! My own grandmother is a Dayne of Starfall.
Rhaegar took a breath. “I tell you this not to boast about the nobility of my ancestry. I tell you this to show you that, despite carrying my father's name, I am Dornish. I am of your blood! The same blood as that flows in the veins of the Princess of Dorne, also flows inside me."
He pointed at Daenya, the fury finally rising up inside him.
“This girl, princess though she may be, cousin of mine that she may be, is also a Targaryen born of incest between her parents, themselves brother and sister. Maegor and Rhaella themselves are the issue of first cousins. Maegor’s own father, Maeron was himself the son born of the incest of Maegor the Cruel, aptly named, and his sister. Daenya Targaryen is the product of incest many times over. She, her parents and many of her brothers are the worshippers of false gods – cruel gods – foreign gods, that condone false worship and false practices, such as brother-sister marriage – a practice I know is abhorrent to all faithful followers of the Seven.”
He swung around to now face Sarella, his voice now dripping with scorn, not directed at her but at Daenya.
“My cousin says she came here as a ‘friend’.” A scornful look appeared on Rhaegar’s face to match his tone. “Why I ask you? Why did she come here? Does she have some affection for Dorne that she must visit? No she does not! Is she part Dornish by blood, as I am? No she is not! If she claims she is a fugitive, did she explain to Your Grace exactly what she was fleeing from? Because I can assure you, Your Grace, that when I fled Kings Landing, the Princess Daenya was very much in favor with her father. She was a dragon-rider that had fought – and I will freely admit – fought valiantly at Oldtown. Yet all the places she could ‘flee’ to – if that was truly her intent - she came here. Not to the Free Cities, not to the Summer Isles, not to the Stepstones, not even to the Iron Isles or even north beyond the Wall. It was certainly not in pursuit of me. Indeed she did not – could not – know I was even present in Dorne, before her own arrival. So why did she come to Dorne?”
He looked again around at the assembled lords.
“Consider her reasons my lords. Some of you will know why I came to Dorne. For those of who do not, it was because I was in fear of my life! I was forced into a marriage with one of Maegor’s bastards, herself already with child by one of Dorne’s sworn enemies and her own brother – a man that you know and I am sure duly loathe – Maekar Waters. This Waters, one of Maegor’s own Knight Inquisitors, and a dragon rider threatened my life if I were to touch the woman who would have been my own wife. I would have been forced to raise his bastard as my own. I have been kept in detention by my Targaryen kin for three years since the death of my father as was one of your own, my mother. My mother was also the subject of Maegor’s unwanted lustful attentions. I was the subject of insult and abuse from my own Targaryen kin, if not merely ignored. Being dragonless after Oldtown, I had little to no means to defend myself. That is why I fled! I fled to my closest kin here in Dorne. So I have far more cause to be in Dorne than the Princess Daenya Targaryen!"
Rhaegar’s eyes scanned the crowd, before resting on Alayne Wyl.
“And yes I brought the Marcher Lords here. My grandsire Lord Yronwood, Lord Fowler who fought bravely against the dragon Vandaras, Lord Perros and Lord Wyl’s daughter and heiress. There, apart from Lord Fowler, they stand.”
He indicated each one present as he mentioned their names before his eyes once again met those of Princess Sarella.
I brought them here to plead my case, to show you my lady, that they accept me as one of their own, that they accept me as a Dornishman by blood, that I am worthy of acceptance by Dornishmen in general. I brought them here that you, renowned for your dislike of any who bear the name Targaryen, would hopefully be more inclined to accept my presence in Dorne. As they have!"
Rhaegar shook his head in mock disbelief at what he was about to say.
“Daenya’s claim that I betrayed my kin is nothing more than cheap slander, my lords. Ludicrous! I reject her accusation in the strongest possible terms! My nearest kin – apart from my sisters held hostage in Kings Landing against their will and married to evil men against their will - are here in Dorne – most in this very room!"
He pointed to the head of the dragon Vandaras. “I have fought for my kin on behalf of Dorne! I have risked my life for my kin on behalf of Dorne! I have killed a dragon on behalf of my kin and for Dorne! And I would do so again if it were necessary to protect Dorne!”
He looked again over to Daenya.
“This girl here says I betrayed my kin.” he repeated scornfully. “And as such she tries to imply that I am a betrayer by nature – that I would betray you all as well and bring Dorne to its knees. The truth is my lords, is that I have betrayed no one! Rather it is my Targaryen kin who have betrayed me. It mattered little to them, that I fought for them in Oldtown. It mattered little to them that my own dragon was sacrificed in Oldtown on their behalf. It mattered so little to them that they betrayed me by forcing my marriage - and that of my sisters - to men and women of darkness, not fit by their disposition and actions to add their blood to my blood – Dornish blood and yes…Targaryen blood as well. And yet supposedly, according to my cousin here, it was I who betrayed them by fleeing Kings Landing. I did indeed flee. But I did so fearing for my life and my honor! From my own kin no less, and those kin with whom I share a name! Can you blame me, my lords, Your Grace, for seeking refuge with the only other kin I have?”
He spread his arms in entreaty to the crowd.
“I have no intention of dividing Dorne as my Targaryen cousin claims. Why would it be in my interests to do so? As I have already said, a divided Dorne is a weakened Dorne. A weakened Dorne opens her up to the deprivations of my Targaryen kin and their dragons. Trajan Waters and Maekar Waters – the invaders of Dorne, five years ago - are already my sworn enemies, as they are yours. They would both kill me if they had the opportunity and a weakened Dorne would give them that opportunity. They would bring Dorne to its knees if they had the opportunity. Of both of those things you can be assured! On my honor – whether you think that is of any worth at all – and by the Seven, by my own Dornish blood and my mother’s life, I would never betray Dorne - or its people - into the hands of its enemies, by seeking to divide and weaken it.“
Rhaegar took another deep breath, his face set, as his eyes briefly met Daenya’s.
[Novice: Charm]
[Beginner: Persuasion]
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all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too