GoT onexone

[.Sour .Skittles.]

Celeste looked like she wanted to leave as the woman lost consciousness. She whispered they should leave but it didn't seem to work as the woman came to suddenly. She sat there with an absolutely hysterical expression of uncertainty. Varus however seemed to have enough proof as he bounced about the room, opened the door, yelled at some men, closed it again and then hugged het once more. Celeste huffed and barreled him off.

"This entire notion is absolutely ridiculous. I am no more pregnant than you are Varus Laster,and don't you begin to coddle me and tell me what I can and cannot do. I can handle my own well being. What? Oh stop looking at me like that!" If she would have been standing she would have stomped her foot. She sighed and huffed with a grumble. "Oh fine, I won't go battling people, but I will have you know that in some cultures it is considered an honor to fight for yourself no matter your condition. Have you not heard of Melina, wife to the great eriki king kronor? She went into battle with full belly and gave birth on the battlefield. When her son was born it was such an honor, she was.bestowed with equal standing to her husband."

Celeste hopped from the table and grudgingly accepted the ginger. The priestess instructed her how to make tea to help with the sickness and Celeste had no choice but to thank her. "Lets find Jarvanti and the dragons. Put them away safely in the room we are to be staying in and you never told me what we are doing."

[Jenpai]

Celeste seemed to be in denial that she was pregnant. Perhaps it was just because she didn’t want to lose the freedom to do whatever she pleased. She even told him a story of the Eriki tribe to illustrate her point. “Well you can be bestowed with equal standing to me without having to give birth on the battlefield” He laughed. It sounded gruesome and highly uncomfortable. “We shall see in time how ridiculous the notion is. For now, lest just be mindful” He said as he started to walk out of the castle with her. She then asked about what happened in the meeting. He had gotten so distracted that he forgot to tell her about what Lord Elmar said. “Don’t worry, I’m not marrying Elmar’s daughter. He only wanted to join houses and find an heir so I told him that she can marry Donny. I have yet to tell him of the deal. I fear that he might be angry that I promised his hand without consulting him. I do not wish to force him to be with somebody who he doesn’t even know but I had little choice.” Varus sighed.

[.Sour .Skittles.]

"I don't think your brother would feel too kindly to know that you already agreed to the betrothed. Perhaps it might be wise to tell him that Elmar wants to join houses and ask him to meet the girl before giving.the final word. It may help if he meets her first." Celeste shrugged slightly, "After all before I met you I didn't care for your rumor very much.Nor did I care for the big hungry eyes you had set on me. You truly were an absolute womanizer." Celeste sighed and smiled fondly. She still cared for him despite it all.

Celeste walked with Varus until they found Donny. She had him.sit down before quietly explaining the situation. "Donny, Lord Elmar wishes to wed his daughter to you. He says it is the only way he will help us. Before you say no, I only ask that you maybe meet the girl?" Celeste had a grimace on her face, "After all you would not wish to say no and risk.The stress on your future nephew, now would you?" Perhaps it was mild blackmail, but maybe it would at least convince the younger laster to give it a shot. "Please?"

[Jenpai]

Varus laughed when Celeste brought up the events of how they first met. It felt like so long ago now, but he remembered the way he had looked at her and chased her into the bath. “Well you had to have liked those big hungry eyes a little because you’re here with me now” He joked. They found Donny soon after. He was out training with the other men. Celeste made him come inside and sit down before explaining the situation. Varus watched his brother’s expression carefully. He didn’t seem the least bit interested in the plan. “What? Why would he want to wed his daughter to me?” Donnovan said with a confused look upon his face. He then turned to Varus with a face full of rage and betrayal. “This was your idea wasn’t it? Its not fair! Why do you get to marry for love while I am to be matched up with the mountain lord’s daughter?!” He said before getting up and running off into the woods. “Donny—“ Varus called after him but he was long gone by then. Varus sighed and sat back down. “Well that could have gone better” He said, although it was to be expected. His brother was a stubborn one. Although he often acted wise beyond his years he was really only sixteen years old. Certain things seemed to bring out the childish side in him. “We should still ask Elmar to set up a meeting between the two. Donny will come around.” He hoped.

[.Sour .Skittles.]

Celeste watched Donny run away in a fit of absolute anger. Varus tried to stop him of course, but what could they do? The boy was still a boy, and they couldn't blame him for something either one of them were opting out of. She turned to Varus with a small, but sad smile. "Perhaps if we are lucky Donny will agree to actually meet the girl before saying no. Well, that is if Elmar approves of this." Celeste sighed slightly and ran a hand through her hair before sitting herself down with a small huff.

Meanwhile, Donny in all his huffing had gotten himself very, very lost. And by very lost I mean he turned himself around to places he didn't even know where he was. He had been wandering aimlessly now for the better part of an hour. His anger was gone, and now he felt foolish. He was supposed to be the good son, he didn't know where this outburst had come from.  He kicked a rock in a random direction on the hill as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Upon watching the rock tumble it seemed to stop near a person and for once he was actually happy to see a stranger. 
 "H-Hey! Uh-" He paused and looked at the girl in awed silence before promptly shutting his lips. "I'm lost. Could you uh, point me back to the castle?"

[Jenpai]

Armelle knew the mountain like the black of her hand. She had lived here her entire life, as did her father, and her father’s father before him. She knew every rock and every tree on the mountain. On this particular morning Armelle was out gathering herbs by the order of the high priestess. Geraldine had become like a mother to her because her own mother had passed giving birth to her. The high priestess was a bit odd but she was a good woman and the ways of the storm gods had always fascinated Armelle. There was not much for the daughter of a lord to do in a big empty castle. So she spent her time learning prayers and spells from the high priestess.

Armelle was picking some dragonweed when a pebble fell down near her foot. She followed the direction in which the rock came from and saw a lost looking boy staring back at her. Armelle gasped at the stranger. There were rarely ever any visitors in Thunderforge. Although the boy was near her age he looked a lot stronger and wore armor, as he was ready for a battle. Startled by his appearance, she quickly stuffed the herbs into her basket and tried to scurry away from the potentially dangerous man. Armelle kept her head down and walked swiftly through the brushes. She turned back and saw that the boy was still following her. “Father says I shouldn’t speak with strangers on the mountain!” But she was so busy looking back at the boy that she hadn’t noticed a fallen branch on the path beneath her. She tripped on the branch and fell into the dirt, scarping her knee and spilling the contents of her basket all over the ground.

[Jenpai]

A meeting of the small council was being held at Kings Lawn to discuss the actions taking place in the south. The capital feared that a rebellion was brewing with Celeste’s unexpected gift and whispers heard around Candor. Four men sat around a small table. Among them was Raymus Brocawth; hand of the king, Ser Hoph; lord commander of the kingsguard, Pitti; grandmaester of kings lawn, and Vasari, master of whispers. There would have been a few more people at the table with them, but the master of coin was nowhere to be found and the master of ships was across the eastern sea trying to make advancements on the grasslands of the Eriki.

So the small council was extra small today as the meeting began. Vasari was the first to speak. He was a curious man who spoke in such a soft manner and moved around so graciously that it was hard to believe that he was a man at all. “Talk of rebellion has been rising in the south. It is rumored that Varus Laster and Celeste Wylde are leading an army of 33,000. My birdies tell me that they say Lady Celeste leaving Dragonbourne with a chest of four dragon eggs after she beheaded the king’s men. And witnesses have already confirmed that the phoenix has indeed been successfully resurrected in Candor.” Vasari shared as he crossed his legs and placed his hands on top his knee. The grandmaester looked troubled by the news. His hand went to the link in the chain around his neck that symbolized mastery in magical creatures. He knew exactly what would happen if four dragons and a phoenix were released on Kings Lawn. “If the phoenix is revived, so can the dragons. We made the Lasters and Wyldes hate each other for a reason. Too much power lies in them if they become allies. But the creatures are not grown yet. I’d say we have a full year before they reach their full size. I suggest we attack now while they are still young and weak” Grandmaester Pitti said in a raspy voice, barely above a whisper.

[.Sour .Skittles.]

Donny followed the girl at a quick pace. She unfortunately wasn't looking at where she was going.  He reached out a hand and opened his mouth to warn her, but it was too late and she had already toppled over.
"Hey- Are you okay?" He asked as he neared her and kneeled down beside her to gather the herbs she had dropped. He didn't quite know what any of these were but he was trying to be kind. Mainly because the girl made his stomach tie in knots, partially because he needed to find a way to get back to the castle.  He took a glance over at the girl's knee with a small wince. What in the world was she doing running around in such a short dress. "You know, you really should watch where you are running off to. You really are lucky you didn't get hurt any worse." Donny stood up then and glanced downwards at the girl before offering his hand to help her up with a small and gentle smile.  "c'mon, what do you say to telling me how to get back to the castle, I'm supposed to be getting married sometime this month I guess, and I suppose my brother and the bride wouldn't be too happy." He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Then he mentally smacked
himself, realizing that he had thrown any chance of getting close to the girl out the window with the comment. He supposed he was like his brother in some ways, but mostly not.

While he waited for the girl to either take his hand or not, he handed her the herbs she had dropped. "What are these for?" he asked.

[Jenpai]

Armelle looked up at the strange boy who had been following her. He offered his hand to help pull her up. Armelle was surprised by the notion. He didn’t seem like the strangers that her father had warned her about. He had told her that the only strangers who came to Thunderforge were crooks and thieves who wanted to rob the kingdom of what little wealth they had left. Thus it was always important to keep her identity hidden because if a highwayman were to learn that she was the daughter of a lord they would surely kidnap her for ransom. But this boy didn’t seem like the men her father had warned her about. He seemed kind and gentle. But that doesn’t mean she would let down her guard. She would still keep her identity hidden so he doesn’t get any funny ideas.

Armelle reached out and took the boy’s hand. She got up and dusted herself of the dirt that stuck to her dress. She looked down at her knee and frowned. She had cut herself in the fall. But at least it was just a minor scrape and not anything serious. She took the herbs he handed her and put them back in her basket. “These are herbs for medical treatments." She answered. "Dragonweed is good for making ointments, while tea brewed from Dungstin root will cure nausea.” Armelle could go on for hours telling him of all the different uses for the strange plants but she realized that he probably wasn’t too interested in that. He only seemed interested in finding his way back to the castle and to his betrothed, which admittingly made Armelle jealous for some reason. But Armelle wasn’t just going to show him the way back to the castle for free. He looked like a trained warrior and she was tired of being so weak and scared of every stranger that passed through the forge.

“Alright stranger, how about a deal? I’ll show you the way back to the castle if you teach me how to fight. Women are not allowed to fight in Thunderforge so no one in the castle will train me. They say its not proper for a girl to handle a sword but I saw Lady Celeste fight our champion. Kane is the forge’s most fierce warrior and she was able to take him down so easily. I want to fight like that. You look experienced…enough” She said, looking over his armor and the training sword still strapped to his belt from earlier. Even if he wasn’t as skilled as Celeste he has surely had proper training from a master-of-arms. "Swear on your honor that you will meet me here at sunrise for a week and I will show you the way to the castle” She proposed.

[.Sour .Skittles.]

Donny blinked at her request and then shrugged, "Well I don't think I could make you into any Celeste. She is far too scary. Between you and me I swear she sprouts horns and breaths fire when she gets angry. I think even my brother is afraid of her." Donny grinned happily before finally nodding his head. A chance to meet with the girl again would be a welcome distraction. He seemed to enjoy her company thus far. What harm would it be showing her how to hold a sword? He didn't think anything of it. "As long as the army or my Lord doesn't require me then yes, I wouldn't mind showing you a few things." Donny turned towards where he came and squinted,"I think I came from over there?"

[Jenpai]

Armelle giggled when the boy told her about how even his brother was scared of Celeste. She didn’t know who his brother was, but she assumed that it took a lot to scare the man. She wasn’t scared of Celeste herself. She thought of her as a role model. She was the first female warrior that Armelle had ever seen. There was something fantastical about that. However, the others did not feel the same way. “Your brother is not alone! She has become the talk of the castle! ‘The Dragon Lady’ they’re calling her. It’s absolutely ridiculous!” She laughed again as she began to walk with the boy. He really was completely lost. The direction in which he had come from was nowhere near the castle. “You did, but I would go that way unless you want to walk around the entire mountain. I’m about to head back myself; I just have to pick up a few more herbs on the way. You are welcomed to join me if you’d like. If not, just head straight until you see a river, then follow it upstream and you’ll see the castle walls.”

[.Sour .Skittles.]

The hand tented his fingers slowly as he listened to the wildly feminine man. If it was not for the fact that he actually had something significant to say he would have been rid of Vasari a long time ago. He leaned forward slightly, "The Dragon eggs?" He questioned then dropped his hands on his table, "and the Phoenix is alive?" He sighed and looked to pitti then his grandson, the king. "Now remind me, my dear grandson why the hell you ******** let that woman go to dragonbourne?" He didn't even wait for.an answer then turned to Hoph. "How long until we can call the banners and mobilize the army?"

Hoph gruffly scratched his chin like he always did. He was a lewd man, nobody special. He did one thing well and that was follow orders without a thought. "We don't have enough men now. They outnumber us three to one. An' I may not be learned like y'all, but I'm guessin' a fire Bird and huge lizard would be more dangerous bigger. But I don't suppose killing ten thousand men is a good idea either. Best attack candor when we get more men."

[.Sour .Skittles.]

"That's not too far off. We call her the mother of dragons. I guess Varus finds something about her attractive or he wouldn't be rebelling for her." Donny walked along side the girl then tilted his head down towards her. He slightly moved in front of her. He walked backwards with a smile, "I'm Don by the way." He said, stumbling a bit then when he caught his balance he quickly.turned around to watch where he was going. A blush spread on his cheeks as he shoved his hands in his pockets, "So uh, what can I call you?" He asked, glancing over slightly.

Sighing, he turned back to the plants, "why are you getting these plants anyways? You guys don't have a master?" Of course Donny knew nothing about the priestess or their religion. "And what's with all the statues?" He asked

[Jenpai]

Lief slouched in his seat unamusingly. Why his grandfather had dragged him into this meeting was beyond him. It was purely to torture him no doubt. He didn’t have the slightest bit of interest in what they were saying even though it directly influenced the wellbeing of his kingdom. “I let that woman go to Dragonbourne because I am the king and I can do as I please!” He said harshly, looking up at his grandfather with angry eyes. He was not going to let the hand humiliate him infront of the small council. Lief then yawned again and acted like he was above the whole thing. “This meeting bores me. You’re the small council. You figure out what to do” He said before getting up from the head of the table and leaving the room completely.

Vasari stayed quiet as the king had his outburst. The eunuch knew better than to get caught up in Lief’s little temper tantrums. It was a bit awkward as the king left the room but Vasari knew that the boy wouldn’t have been any help even if he had stayed anyways. It was always the small council and his guards who did all his dirty work for him. Vasari smiled deviously and spoke again. “10,000 men might not be a good match for an army of 33,000 but to an unguarded castle they will do wonders….” He said, as if to himself but purposefully putting the idea into the others’ heads. “Perhaps what we need is to send a message, as Lady Celeste had done. Strike them at their homelands and their attentions will be divided.”

[Jenpai]

Armelle watched as the boy stumbled as he tried to walk backwards. She couldn’t help but giggle as she saw a pink blush come across his cheeks. Maybe they weren’t so different after all. They both seemed to be clumsy enough to not see where they were going. Armelle was caught off guard when he asked her for her name. Giving it away would mean endangering herself and her kingdom. But at the same time she didn’t want to lie to the boy. He seemed sweet. “I uh…” She stuttered. “You can call me Elle.” She finally finished with a smile.

The smile remained on her face as they kept walking. Don asked her all kinds of questions about the kingdom. She knew that it was vastly different than any other in Whitespell so she didn’t mind explaining. “Thunderforge is the only one out of the seven kingdoms that doesn’t have a Maester. We don’t believe in their ideas about science and magic. Instead we put all our faith into the Storm Gods, who watches over us and keeps us safe. The High Priestess would be the closest thing we have to your Maesters. She handles all the medical issues we have but also does so much more.” She spoke, happy to find that he was interested in their customs and traditions. “And the statues are of the Storm Gods and our ancestors. They watch over us through their stone eyes and we pray to them and seek them for guidance. That’s why my fa—Lord Elmar was so spooked when the lightening struck the statue on the very first day you arrived. He had thought that it was a bad omen but it was just all part of the Gods’ grand scheme of things. Like if we didn’t turn you away the hero would have never been in Blackwind Caverns that night and found Stormbringer. Everything happens for a reason here it is our belief that it is the will of the Gods.”