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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 1:42:45 GMT -5
Though not truly the Prince of Dorne, Trystane Martell has increasingly been empowered to act on his mother's behalf, as the effects of old age begin to wear on her. He recently had is chambers renovated, to make them larger and to build a second chamber off to the side, so the this bedchambers, private solar, and planning room all adjoining the same antechamber.
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 1:43:21 GMT -5
The Lord of Whitesand, Morys Martell, is summoned to the Prince's chambers. When he arrives, he is escorted into the planning room, where Prince Trystane sits with several large maps of the Dornish Marches spread out across his table. The corners are weighed down with various objects; primarily wine-cups and knives, and one boot. There is a knife stabbed into the table, piercing the map and standing upright, though Morys cannot quite see where it is.
"Welcome, lad. Can I offer you wine?" the Prince asked, as Morys is escorted in.
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 21, 2014 1:58:27 GMT -5
Morys took in a breath as he walked the steps to Prince Trystane Martell's chambers. He was slow to exhale, working to keep himself calm and collected as always as he approached the doors that lead inside. He'd always been nervous around the prince, his presence was certainly one to be felt, and he held considerably more power then him, or his mother it seemed. Morys pushed the thoughts of his mother and the prince out of his head as best he could, not needing the mental image, as he came to the door, guards allowing him to enter as he is walked briskly into the massively redone room, taking a moment to take it all in as he is escorted to the prince's planning room, bowing his head with an arm to his front, and one to his back.
"My Lord Prince..." Morys said as he bowed low, showing his respect for the man as he rose back up once more, standing straight and proud as he brought both hands to behind his back, holding them folded and pressing into the low of his spine, "I am sorry if I kept you waiting long, I came as soon as I could..." Morys said, pausing a moment as his brows furrowed a bit.
"Forgive my Impertinence, Your Grace...But is that a boot?" morys asked as his eyes looked to the maps, and the contents being used to hold them down.
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 2:14:08 GMT -5
"I appreciate your promptness, lad," the Prince replied, fighting back a small smile, "and yes, that is a boot. The corner of the map was curling, and I needed something to weigh it down with," he added with a shrug.
"Tell me what you think of the situation in the Marches," Trystane said, beckoning his nephew to the map. As Morys approached, he could see the the dagger was stabbed directly into Nightsong, and the various markers showing troop dispositions. By Morys' judgement, there was a Dornish army gathering between Skyreach and Blackmont of nearly three thousand men and the markers indicated that roughly a quarter of them were mounted knights. He realized that, if such a large army had gathered and he had not heard about it already, it must be a closely guarded secret indeed and the implications of being granted this knowledge were significant.
Morys knew also, that the Lord of Nightsong had roughly two thousand men who answered his call to arms when word came, and though only twenty-six, Lord Orys was already known as an excellent commander who responded to threats instantly and decisively. The greatest General in Dorne, Lord Quentyn Fowler, had besieged Nightsong for two months the previous year, but had been unable to crack the castle before the Lords of Blackhaven and Griffin's Roost arrived to raise the siege.
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 21, 2014 2:55:34 GMT -5
"The situation in the marches, I feel, is like the situation of most of dorne..." Morys began as he studied the map, gears turning in his head as he looked to all the figures, and the dagger stuck in nightsong. "It is stable..." he began as he traced the line from nightsong through the princes pass, seeing the two armies marked for formation to join together, "It is tense..." he said as everything, or most things, seemed to fall into place. "And it is highly disadvantageous to us."
"The stormlands held territory gives them more access and ease to our lands then ever before. The fact they managed to take and hold the boneway alone is a advantage they should never have, and gives them a lot of power to use...of course, the prince's pass, being the only other major route of travel, now becomes a vital lifeline of dorne..." he said as he looked to the map, and the dagger, "Which makes it important to hold in as much a capacity as possible. Perhaps even expand, for the security of dorne..." he said as he looked to trystane a bit curiously.
"If I may be so bold, your grace. I am guessing there is a reason beyond simply holding the pass, that this gathering army is such a secret. Also a reason nightsong has been highlighted the way it has. What I am curious about, is who else knows about these plans?" he asked, looking trystane in the eyes as he spoke. There was a slight twinge in morys's voice, a almost reflexive twinge of fear as the question left his lips, though in his eyes, there was nothing but anticipation and curiosity to be found.
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 3:11:50 GMT -5
"Well I've been planning this invasion with Lord Fowler and Ser Godry Yronwood for three months. My mother knows, but yours does not. The Sword of the Morning brought five hundred men from Starfall, and Ser Godry's son Daeron brought thirteen hundred of his son's Blackmont men," the Prince replied, noting the corresponding markers on the map. "I dare not march any of my mother's soldiers west in force, but two hundred of my own knights are with the army having traveled west in twos and threes, bolstering Lord Fowler's own forces. We have enough men to lay siege to Nightsong and provisions to maintain it, but they are fully able to last long enough until reinforcements come; we need your dragons, lad, to turn the tide, and did not intend to move yet for another month.
The Prince paced around the table, clearly itching to reveal the best part. "However I just received news from contacts in King's Landing; Lord Orys Dondarrion was killed ten days ago on Dragonstone, attempting to bond one of the royal beasts there," Prince Trystane said. "Nightsong's defenses have no commander, and we must take advantage of this development as soon as possible while the opportunity is ours. It is time that you and your dragon are tested in battle."
He turned to his squire off in the corner of the room and sent the boy running to go find Lord Elyas Dryland and to bring him here.
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 21, 2014 14:53:48 GMT -5
"Dondarrion is dead..." Morys said as he looked to the map, eyes fixed on nightsong as he pondered the news. "...even without his leadership, nightsong will be hard to siege. Dragons or not..." Morys voiced allowed, eyes moving to the other stormland areas, "And sending reinforcements will not be all the storm lords will do, if history is any indication. Not when they have the boneway to use against us." he commented. Morys was torn, hand brought up near his face and clenched as his mind worked out the possibilities.
"How would you have our dragons used, should they join this battle?" He asked, looking to trystane as he contemplated these new developments. A chance to take nightsong was strong, but the risks that came with it, where almost overwhelming.
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 21, 2014 15:36:07 GMT -5
It was several minutes before Trystane's squire returned with Lord Elyas in tow. The Lord of Vaith was clad in a light cream tunic and tan breeches. He looked surprised to see Morys with the Prince as he entered the room, but he did not hesitate to bow to the man who had sent him to secure a dragon for Dorne. "Your grace. You sought my presence?" he said, head lowered deferentially.
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 19:12:21 GMT -5
"Yes, I wanted you both, my lords; I mean to take Nightsong for Dorne, and your dragons will be integral in the doing of it," the Prince said. "As for the how," he said, "you are the dragon rider, not I, but I should think you'd come down on them from above, and bathe the men holding the walls in flames, so our own men can scale and take them unopposed."
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Post by Vhagar on Jun 21, 2014 19:45:13 GMT -5
Just then, the door opened and Princess Sarella stood there, scowling. She was fully grey now, her face very lined.
"Trystane," she said coolly. "Mors. Lord Elyas. You will oblige me by including your liege lady in your schemes."
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 20:02:10 GMT -5
Prince Trystane's face was stone when his mothered entered, as he asked their the Lords of Red Dunes and Whitesand to excuse the pair of them for a moment, so that he could speak to the Princess privately..
When Elyas and Morys returned to the room, Trystane was smiling, though in a manner that appeared quite forced. "My lady mother will direct the campaign in the Marches; anything you would have said to me, you are to say to her now," he said tersely, waiting for the other two men to respond. He bowed his head deferentially to his mother, and stepped back to allow her to take charge of the meeting.
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 21, 2014 21:21:30 GMT -5
"Might I recommend we move against Yronwood instead, your grace." Elyas said, speaking to Princess Sarella as Trystane had instructed him to. "It is the superior of the two fortresses, but with Lord Dondarrion defending Nightsong it will surely be just as challenging a siege. Further, were we to take Yronwood, there is a better chance it would be seen as a continuation of the historic trading of territory in the marches by the queen in the north, given the relative recent date of the Stormlander occupation. Were we to move against a holding that has much stronger connections to the dragon queen, it would likely be interpreted as an act of war. We cannot hope to win against the might of Westeros, and there is no way the Targaryen queen could allow such an act of aggression to go unchecked."
Elyas turned to Trystane. "Do not mistake my qualms with this plan for a lack of desire to drive back the Targaryens, your grace. I simply feel Dorne would be better advised to retake territories known to be part of its patrimony rather than overextending ourselves into areas that have long been under foreign control."
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 21, 2014 21:28:02 GMT -5
Morys had been more then surprised at the arrival of Princess Sarella, so much so that he had almost forgotten to give a bow as she entered and made her presence known. Being dismissed, he looked back to his uncle, feeling somewhat sorry for the prince. He knew the feeling all too well.
As he reentered the room, he kept his mouth shut and his face as neutral as possible, say for a slight frown, as he gave a bow to the princess who would now be leading their campaign. He was a lord of dorne, and his duty was to serve house martell, be it trystane or sarella.
"Your highness..." he said, keeping his head down as he rose from her bow, looking up only when he had risen fully from his bow, "I had just finished asking the prince how he wished our dragons directed in this campaign. I was going to comment how we should have a force ready for whatever retaliation the storm lords will undoubtedly make, be it in taking the castle or attempting to take more of dorne through the pass they control. If such a force had not already been set aside before my knowledge." he said, sounding both respectable and somewhat concerned as he stood next to the lord of the red dunes.
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 21:31:26 GMT -5
"Orys Dondarrion died ten days ago at Dragonstone, burned to death trying to tame one of the beasts, but even if he had not the target is not up for discussion," Trystane replied irritably. "Our army is in the Prince's Pass, gathering secretly for months. Unless you propose to fly all of our men over the mountains, we cannot move against Yronwood in without their being forewarned. Lord Morys, why is Nightsong the better target?" he asked, clearly posing a test before the younger lord to see if he could find the significance of moving on Nightsong where the lord lord had missed it.
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 21, 2014 21:46:33 GMT -5
Morys looked to Trystane, taking a slight swallow of spit as he contemplated the question. "Nightsong's ability to defend itself would have been weakened with its lords recent death, as your grace has said. The armies gathered there would also take time to move to the other pass, where their chances of mobilization without alerting the enemies forces would be much less likely, also as your grace has said..." he said as he paused, contemplating things a moment, "There is a chance that we might catch nightsong off guard with our attack, more-so then we would by trying to take the yronwood, as they would expect us to try and push to reclaim our old territory then trying to seize a new land..."
"And in any case, I think that no matter which we go after, the storm lords, and those they serve, will take this as a sign of aggression. They will most likely retaliate. And with their control of the boneway, it would be easy for them to march an army down its pass, and push us out of our liberated lands." he took a moment to catch his breath, wondering if he was on the correct track or not, "Taking nightsong could give us advantages to later take back our occupied territories, perhaps even launch an attack from both sides of the boneway...the chance of overstretching ourselves is present. But also, is there a greater chance of being repelled by taking yronwood."
((Skills: Novice: Persuasion, I hope I'm doing this right.))
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 21:53:22 GMT -5
"You are right, my lord, but also wrong," Trystane said, with a semi-indulgent smile. "The strategic advantages of attacking Nightsong that you listed are all true, and it will give us a better chance to regain what we have lost, though not in the way you think. Nightsong is a bargaining chip. We are more likely to win a decisive victory there, with Lord Fowler at our army's head and your dragons in the sky, than we would be at Yronwood. My lady mother intends to take the castle intact, and we must win a decisive victory over our enemies that we might take our seat at the bargaining table from a position of strength."
"Queen Rhaena will never give us true peace, unless we bend the knee to her throne, which we will never do," he said, his voice burning passionately. "But we can make it too expensive for her to fight us. My spies in King's Landing have reported that Envoys from the her allies in the Free Cities have approached her requesting aid against the Burned Man and his New Valyria. She cannot fight him, and us, at the same time, and she will be forced to accept terms that we offer if we strike hard and fast, and destroy Lord Dondarrion's men. I know we cannot hold Nightsong against the full might of the Stormlands, but if she refuses to negotiate we will raze it to the ground and salt the earth with the blood of its occupants before retreating back into Dorne."
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 21, 2014 22:10:22 GMT -5
"You are right, my lord, but also wrong," Trystane said, with a semi-indulgent smile. "The strategic advantages of attacking Nightsong that you listed are all true, and it will give us a better chance to regain what we have lost, though not in the way you think. Nightsong is a bargaining chip. We are more likely to win a decisive victory there, with Lord Fowler at our army's head and your dragons in the sky, than we would be at Yronwood. My lady mother intends to take the castle intact, and we must win a decisive victory over our enemies that we might take our seat at the bargaining table from a position of strength." "Queen Rhaena will never give us true peace, unless we bend the knee to her throne, which we will never do," he said, his voice burning passionately. "But we can make it too expensive for her to fight us. My spies in King's Landing have reported that Envoys from the her allies in the Free Cities have approached her requesting aid against the Burned Man and his New Valyria. She cannot fight him, and us, at the same time, and she will be forced to accept terms that we offer if we strike hard and fast, and destroy Lord Dondarrion's men. I know we cannot hold Nightsong against the full might of the Stormlands, but if she refuses to negotiate we will raze it to the ground and salt the earth with the blood of its occupants before retreating back into Dorne." "Can you be sure that she will choose to fight a new enemy rather than her traditional ones, your grace?" Elyas retorted, respectful of his superior but not a proponent of his plan. "I was not aware that Lord Dondarrion had perished, and while this is welcome news, would the first place the dragon queen have reinforced on hearing this news herself have been his holdings? Perhaps our forces will have to be moved, but if you have managed to conceal the troop build up, surely it will be possible to do so again, only in a different area." Elyas hesitated, seeming embarrassed by what he said next. "Lord Baratheon managed to catch us unaware when he took Yronwood. Lord Fowler is twice the general he was. Nothing would bring us to the bargaining table with more strength than possession of the castle we covet. As strong as Yronwood might be, I doubt it can hold against four dragons." |
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 21, 2014 22:41:51 GMT -5
"And how do you propose to get three and a half thousand men from the Prince's Pass to Yronwood without their being detected, my lord?" the Prince asked, in a tone that suggested that when he had said 'not the target is not up for discussion' he actually meant it. "How do you expect to take Yronwood with only your dragons, without reducing the castle to rubble?"
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 21, 2014 22:50:33 GMT -5
"And how do you propose to get three and a half thousand men from the Prince's Pass to Yronwood without their being detected, my lord?" the Prince asked, in a tone that suggested that when he had said 'not the target is not up for discussion' he actually meant it. "How do you expect to take Yronwood with only your dragons, without reducing the castle to rubble?" "Slowly, your grace. I assume that is how they were moved to Prince's Pass." Elyas replied with a frown. "If you did not wish to hear my counsel you needn't have summoned me. You know that I will perform whatever task is commanded by yourself or your grace." Elyas directed the last at Princess Sarella with a respectful nod. "But when I went in search of a dragon to defend Dorne at your behest, I did so because I believed your plan was necessary for the long term defence of Dorne. I had hoped that the fruit of my endeavors would be employed in a manner that best served Dornish interests. In my mind this is not it." |
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 22, 2014 0:29:36 GMT -5
"My lady mother did not summon you for your counsel, my lord, we summoned you for your dragon. Your liegelord is calling you into service for Dorne, as is your duty as a lord of the land; I expect the pair of you to be at Skyreach within half a fortnight. That is ample time to make what preparations you must, and when you arrive there you are to place yourselves under the command of Lord Quentyn Fowler. Is that understood?" the Prince asked, watching Elyas carefully.
"I will be departing Sunspear tomorrow, and it is my intention to request that Lady Visenya and her daughter, Lady Valaena, fly to Skyreach as well. Four dragons together will reduce Nightsong to cinders if need be, though my lady mother and I would prefer it not come to that," he said. "There is no way to move against Yronwood without being discovered, and to besiege it properly we would need half again as many men as Lord Fowler has mustered. It is too well defended, for Lord Cortnay Baratheon knows that every man in Dorne sees it as a target and has acted according," he continued, in a tone that said he was exasperated that Elyas sought to play into the Stormlanders' plan.
"Nightsong is far less formidable, though it's strategic value to the queen is incalculable. If we controlled the entire Prince's Pass… we could not hold it, however, just as we could not hold Yronwood if we destroyed our army taking it. The attack is on Nightsong and that is not a point that is up for discussion, Lord Dryland. Will you obey the command of your liege, or will you refuse?"
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 22, 2014 1:00:36 GMT -5
"My lady mother did not summon you for your counsel, my lord, we summoned you for your dragon. Your liegelord is calling you into service for Dorne, as is your duty as a lord of the land; I expect the pair of you to be at Skyreach within half a fortnight. That is ample time to make what preparations you must, and when you arrive there you are to place yourselves under the command of Lord Quentyn Fowler. Is that understood?" the Prince asked, watching Elyas carefully. "I will be departing Sunspear tomorrow, and it is my intention to request that Lady Visenya and her daughter, Lady Valaena, fly to Skyreach as well. Four dragons together will reduce Nightsong to cinders if need be, though my lady mother and I would prefer it not come to that," he said. "There is no way to move against Yronwood without being discovered, and to besiege it properly we would need half again as many men as Lord Fowler has mustered. It is too well defended, for Lord Cortnay Baratheon knows that every man in Dorne sees it as a target and has acted according," he continued, in a tone that said he was exasperated that Elyas sought to play into the Stormlanders' plan. "Nightsong is far less formidable, though it's strategic value to the queen is incalculable. If we controlled the entire Prince's Pass… we could not hold it, however, just as we could not hold Yronwood if we destroyed our army taking it. The attack is on Nightsong and that is not a point that is up for discussion, Lord Dryland. Will you obey the command of your liege, or will you refuse?" Lord Elyas did not look at all pleased with what he heard from Prince Trystane. Here was a man who he had lealy served at great danger to his own life and against the orders of his mother, questioning his personal loyalty simply because he had voiced concerns over an inane plot. A man who had once sought him out personally because he had need of his service, now telling him that in effect the dragon he had won was more important to the Prince than the man who had risked his life for him to win it. Had Trystane's "friendship" been but the act of a man in need of his Targaryen blood? Elyas now began to wonder how well he had known the man, or if he had simply been utterly poisoned in recent years by Visenya's influence. "I already made it clear I would obey my orders, your grace, regardless of what they were. You needn't remind me of anything. It is however, with all due respect, presently your lady mother who is my liege. Not yourself. My dragon and my men are hers to command." He looked as if he wanted to say more but held his tongue, looking instead to Sarella to see whether she backed her son's plot. |
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Post by Morys Martell on Jun 22, 2014 1:41:28 GMT -5
Morys stayed silent throughout the exchange, choosing to watch the two and listen, weighing what was said himself then to jump in out of turn. He was nervous, feeling the atmosphere get tenser and tenser as he kept his hands behind his back, eyes moving between the two and occasionally to the map, thinking of which he agreed with more, though either way he would do as he was told.
Elyas was bold, strong in his belief and resolve, that much morys could see and in truth admired. But he was speaking to Trystane Maretell, and Princess Sarella Martell, and what they said would ultimately hold the final decisive blow. Morys's hands tensed at the news his sister and mother would be involved with this operation, both relieved and worried for entirely different reasons now.
Morys's eyes went to Sarella as it seemed this discussion had reached its deciding point. Would he be riding Typhon into battle? Or would he be staying where he was? Morys kept himself composed and ready to bow in acknowledgement, to the queen, and to whom she would favor.
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Post by Vhagar on Jun 22, 2014 10:32:54 GMT -5
Sarella looked at the men for a long moment. She had come chiefly to determine the relationships between those who were to be included in the matter, knowing that her presence would inflame a possibly difficult problem and wishing to be prepared.
"We move on Nightsong," she said firmly. "Prince Trystane has the right of it. Nightsong will be easier to take, certainly. Should all go well, we might then look to take back Yronwood and Wyl, but not yet. It may be that, should we succeed in holding Nightsong, Baratheon will send men in an attempt to take it back, perhaps even diminishing the garrison at Yronwood. That then would be the ideal opportunity to reclaim Yronwood. But unless the castle is weakened, we dare not take such a risk."
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Post by The Black Dread on Jun 22, 2014 10:44:00 GMT -5
Trystane stared at Elyas as if the man had grown three heads. He did not seem to realize that one day Sarella would be dead, and on that day Prince Trystane would rule all Dorne whether anyone liked it or not. The Prince smiled dangerously, and said nothing, filing the slight away for future reference. Despite having been friendly with Lord Dryland in the past, they were not truly friends; men who were not equals could never truly be friends and Dryland was far below the Prince, in birth, in blood, and in title.
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 22, 2014 10:49:40 GMT -5
Lord Elyas nodded, calmly. "So be it. It will be done, your grace."
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all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too