Selacaf

Selacaf wondered round and round for what seemed like an age before she finally slumped on the forest floor.THIS was where she was happiest. She ran her hands through the pine needles and the soft green wild clover that grew everywhere, she touched a trickle of tree sap and breathed it in , whipping her tear bogies on her sleeve.
" I never wanted this life!" she shouted Some crows cracked and flew off to the next tree. " I'm no good at it!" She was right of course even the Priests who trained her said as much when they kicked her out. That was when she had decided to be a Hedge Assasin, I mean who wants anyone who's main Talents are changing faces and killing people!

"You don't have to do it" She heard in her mind rather than her ears. She swung around and that's when she saw the biggest wolf she had ever seen, eyes like open souls, no hint of malice , soft long black fur she just wanted to bury he tear stained face in.
She leapt to her feet ready to fight or flee , her ears drumming with the fear.
"Easy now " She heard in her mind ... and the crows sqarked and flapped again ..

" You can change you life from this day , do not kill Rygar Ironborn. He has need of you . Now shout out ! They're killing each other " and with that he slowly slunk back into the dense wood .

 

"Wait! Wah! .." With a full lung she threw her head back and " ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

 

aestylla

Avoiding the main roads near Highgarden had been easy. After all, her mother had been Lady Olenna's exclusive poison provider for years, and she had been around the area several times as a child visiting relations and buying certain bulbs. However, as she continued north it prooved more and more difficult to find her way through the smaller tracks, and eventually she came to realize that while she thought she was approaching Goldengrove, she was actually almost overlooking the harbour of Old Oak.

"Parp it", she cursed. It was a nasty little town, full of crooks, cheap brothels and dodgy dealers. It made King's landing look cleaner and holier than a septa's cell. But now it was too late to head anywhere else, she was tired, the horse more so, and she'd heard wolves on the distance. Perhaps she was wrong to be so afraid of the damn place. After all, her herbs and potions had always protected her when her hand had been too weak or too slow to deal a deadly blow with the knife Othor had gifted her. She told herself she'd manage just fine. Perhaps it'd even work for the better. After all, there was a lot of commerce between old oak and Lannisport and if she could hitch a ride north that would be a frog leap. Certainly worth the risk.

She let Gaeyom jump on top of her head and pull her heavy raven hair like he liked to do. Once they reached town, she'll have to bag him again. She heard they ate sapitos there too, damn the lot of them. She had always got along better with animals than people, she thought while stroking the horse's neck with affection. He'd been such a blessing. He'd even made her richer overnight, when she found all those bracelets and rings with strange symbols tied up together with some cheap metal bangles within the horses legs. He'll fetch her a good price too. She pushed on forward. Hopefully, she'd be in town before nightfall, horse sold and with a roof over her head for the night. A leaky roof full of sneaky people surely... On second thought, she wasn't too hopeful at all.

Rygar "That sounds like our boy bitch", Rygar replied with an backhand slash that was easily blocked by the trained Knight. "Do you think he just realized that he's on the rag?". He nonchalantly steps aside from Fede's strike. "Really, sapito, you knew what you were getting into when you rolled with me. I didn't get my name for being honorable." Each swing was becoming more tiresome. Fede was better than he remembered with the sword. I need him, Rygar thought.

Federyco

His rage was starting to turn into elation. He did not want to hurt Rygar, but the ironborn kept fighting back. And he was determined to show him a thing or to.  

Then, another cry in the night by the girl-boy, Peep.  Federyco paused and held out his hand. "Do you suppose we should go see if something is the matter?"  

Rygar shook his head and jabbed at Federyco with his sword. Federyco grinned, his teeth shining bright in the moonlight, and resumed the fight, swinging wide to Rygar's left and nicking the very top edge of his ear. 

Selecaf


She screamed again , nothing. The men were having too much fun play fighting to care about a stupid no one like her.
With a shake of her head she returned her face to herself. Selecaf." Honesty must be the start of the new me, even if it means facing Rosy Lea."
She walked back to the clearing where the men were coming to an end, grinning and slapping each other on the back like old buddies. It was Marya that noticed her, like a wildling she flung herself at Sel knocking her to the ground.
"WURS MA PEARLS!!"
"Rosy! I'm..Argh.. Sorry.. They're gone .. umph" spluttered Selecaf.
" Marya slumped forward"Gone?" she let out a little sob. Sel pushed her off and got up." I'm sorry... I know what they mean to you and Lil' bird, where is she by the way?"
"GONE" Marya spat back."No pearls , no bird."
"Oh" was all Selacaf could say.
By now Fede and Rygar had come over .. " So you two are acquainted ? "said Fede. "Yes!" both the woman replied.
" Apologise Rygar! " "Um , apologies fair Lady " With a sweeping bow " You must admit you have fine titties!". Fede jabbed Rygar in the ribs. "Umph! Sorry." Selecaf's face matched her hair , she had never been spoken to so kindly.
" Righto then" he said jingling his bits. " Let's get a fire going, we need to eat and sleep , then tomorrow.."
They all looked at him " Tomorrow we find the men who attacked my sister!"

The fire crackles and laughter and voices lifted with the smoke high to the air where it met the cry of one lone wolf.

Septa Marya

The fight between the men looks pretty harmless so Marya feels ready to take over boobie boy. “Dealing with you now”. While she silently follows the lad a breeze is lifted conveying a familiar smell. “Mah pearls, my scented, divine, white, shyn…..”. Rage seizes her "Mardita sea tu estampa, sniffing perv.” and like a wildcat pounces on Selecaf.

"WURS MA PEARLS!! I smell my pearls on you”. Marya tries to rip her wig. “Give me that horrible wig now!”. She pulls and pulls but the wig won´t move. The lad looks scared. “Wut…? Rosie Lea Von!”. The septa looks stunned. “Wut? This is not a wig? How? Who are you? Oh it´s you and your damn ass Selecaf!

But she is sniffing her again and sighs: “Oh that sweet smell of cookies you always have”

Marya gets carried away. “Oh I know, it´s delicious, but it´s not me, just Federyco´s alfajores”. Suddenly, she remembers the pearls and everything that happened since her necklace disappeared. Selecaf apologizes and says that pearls are gone. “Gone?” Marya feels a knot in her stomach. Allows Selecaf to push her back, she´s very sad to keep fighting.

“Gone. No pearls, no bird. Will you help me to find them?”. Sele seems genuinely sympathize with the Septa. “Of course silly, c´mon”

Federyco and Prince Burt have stopped fighting and together they begin to make a fire. The IronBron says something about his sister but Marya feels so tired she falls asleep quickly without paying attention to anyone else. "We´ll leave tomorrow. Just one more night”. Whispers a little prayer before sleep. “You watch for me Santa Kaly, these people are a bunch of pervs”

Aliza:

The first two days of their voyage went without incident, the winds were steady and the skies were clear, though she could feel the cold creeping in as they sailed North. They would pass close to Westmost point of The Feastfires that evening.

Aliza knew something was up, the burly, sunburnt crew kept their distance and always had a "mylady" when she walked by, I guess they didn't know how lowborn she was, but she dressed in more upscale garb on the ship. Their eyes however seemed to hold a darker intent, smiling with malevolence even when their faces seemed plain. "Time to prepare, it's growing short" she thought.

She took account of her belongings, her new blade ( who she decided to call "FaceChanger"), her assortment of clothing, regal, common, sultry and stealth. She had one for every occasion, two bags of Highgarden oats for Shadow (though the second bag hid her coffer of twentyfive gold dragons within). Her belongings never were what they seemed from the outside and none was more true than her wineskin. She did not count the items she took from that "septa", seemed that strange woman had as many secrets as her, but it was not her concern.  She gave all the items to Potty, "Potty and her can play their game", she mused," I am continuing my own."

She was not surpised when the captain invited her to his chambers in the rear of the ship at dusk he was the shiftiest of all. He tried to hide his dark intentions with veiled pleasantries and a small feast by candlelight. But when talked about religion he was a drowned god fanatic, and she knew. His drunken slur "Ya know dearie, the drowned God loves women with fiery hair", "nothing quenches fire like water!"

As he got up, ready to make his move, she offered her wineskin, he didn't drink, he was not stupid. So she took a gulp first. When she swallowed a mouthful only then did he take a swill, "UGH, what in seven hells is this wine? It tastes awful!" 

Aliza smiled "ever been kissed by fire captain?" She grabbed the nearest candle and blew the contents of her mouth through it...the captains face was engulfed in green flame...screeching he dropped the wineskin, spilling the glowing substance on the floor. His dark beard was a glowing green ember, flowing into his eyes and mouth. The rear captain window opened easily.

While the crew was in a panic, trying to extinguish the growing green flames in the captains cabin, she shuffled on the outside bulkheads of the ship, when she reached the bow she leapt up and cut the rope that secured the front cargo hold. The horses and mule were restless, except shadow, her trusty dark-grey mare calmly walked up the steps the moment Aliza opened the hold. "Ready for a swim, Shadow?" She checked her saddle bags, mounted her horse, backed up and then leapt off the lowest transom.

She could see shore of the Feastfires, they would be back on the beach in minutes, when she looked back she saw that "The Parpy Milkmaid" was glowing brightly in green flames, screams echoing over the waves towards her ears...."Sorry Potty", nothing personal, but those frozen Dragons eggs are mine." She would only need a true Maester to figure out the strange map she stole from his bag.....

Federyco 

Federyco awoke the very moment the sky started to lighten. SeptaMarya was already up and singing one of her odd little hymns and was boiling something over the fire pit. He smiled when he detected a faint sapitonic aroma. “Ahhhh, it would seem you've been busy this morning my sweet friend!”

Their other companions were already rousing themselves awake even at that moment, and given that they had all slept in their clothing, on the ground, it took no time at all until they were on back on the road toward Brightwater; and Federyco was on his preferred mount once more. 

Before they had gone too far, however, a procession was heading in their direction. They were dressed in fox and sable, the accoutrements of House Florent. 

As the Florent party approached, their party halted. 

Their leader, a man with a floppy hat and a pointed nose assessed the four of them and forced a smile, “Greetings, merry travelers, I am Gorman Crane, steward for Brightwater Keep...would you be heading to our lovely keep on this fine day?”

Federyco looked at his companions and nodded toward them, and took the lead, “Why yes, we would happen to be.” 

Crane assessed the party and scrunched his face in a gesture of distaste, and then forced his smile again. “Well that is such good news! It is such a delight to see worthy competitors to compete for the hand of the Lord's lovely niece.” 

“Oh, we're not...” Marya began, but Federyco interrupted her. “Yes, indeed, I, Ser Federyco of House Papae and my knightly companion are intrigued by such a remarkable occasion. But Lord Florent has several unmarried granddaughters of note, and we are not at all certain of which one.” 

The look on Crane's face was amazingly revealing, “That is correct, we wish to... of course, avoid opportunists and creatures seeking nothing but fortune.” 

“Oh, but surely you can give us a hint, my good man.” 
"No, I am not at all permitted to say it."

"No little hint?" Rygar asked, as Federyco burst out, "Does it rhyme with 'valise'?" 

Crane flushed with embarrassment. "Mmmm... ! I have said nothing." 

Federyco nodded to his companions, “You have my word, we will not let on that we heard from you.” 

Crane whipped his horse, “We must be on our way, good luck, kind Sers!” 

Federyco called back, “Fare thee well!” 

To his little party he said, “We cannot go to Brightwater, now. I have heard they are so desperate to find a mate for this ugly and severe child, that they will hold any suitors of standing in their dungeon.” 

They all looked at Rygar. Federyco asked him, “Shall we head toward the coast now? I've never seen Bandallon on the coast, but I'm sure there must be a boat or two there.”

Septa Marya

While Federyco was talking with the ridiculous Florent  party and as he had interrupted her, Marya, with malice, began to sing a song in her own language. “You know this song Pepe… “Ugly Niece” that rhymes with…oh well, .you know this song Pepe, dear”. Selecaf laughed and sang along with Marya for a very long time.

Your hair is just a small portion / of all the bushes you have my love,/ you have hair in the back, on the belly / and even in the navel have galore. More than once I have been entangled / in large chunks of your mane, / you're king kong, you're a rainforest / and me baby, I'm your Tarzan. Ironborn  vessels have wrecked in your hair / and skunks have said you smell very bad./Your voice shatters my nerves when I'm asleep / and you come to me with things like:/"How Pepe, why not me?" /" Why you don´t hold me?" / Why? tell me why".
Damn you,  shut up, you forget about me / may your mother  hug you / I want to sleep./ But I love you / although you are so ugly and you make onions mourn and when you were born the doctor said: if it starts flying it´s a bat."

Federyco interrupted her again saying they should go to the coast but the IronBron said: “No, no boats”. Marya looked at Federyco: “Told you Pepe, he´s trouble”, but also she knew that Rygar had been in Pentos and that, coupled with the tattoo she had seen in Rygar´s hand made ​​her think. Apparently no one else had noticed that she had the same tattoo. Marya said: “You go wherever you want to go but you have no horse. Want to stay here?? Fine." The IronBron said nothing so she kept talking . “Right, no Brighwater, no boat. There´s just one town near by. Honeyholt. We´ll need a horse for you Señor, but this time, please, put your little flute away from me”. Marya couldn´t see him but she knew  Rygar was touching  his crotch when told  “I don´t know what you´re talking about señorita, I´m hiding a huge tuba here”.

The IronBron was still talking about all kinds of instruments when they reached the Honeywine river. Marya tried to talk to Federyco: “What now?” but the IronBron was starting to get naked while saying “We swim” and Marya lost Federyco´s attention one more time. “So fickle and horny”. But Selecaf knew this place better. “There´s a ferry, I´m sure.”

Finally they reached the village and found a small tavern, something about a pickle. Selecaf said: “Wilted Pickle” just the right name for you Rygar”. Marya rolled her eyes. The jokes about the size of the IronBron´s pickle lasted several minutes. Even worse,  Federyco enjoyed every joke, immensely.

The first thing Marya saw when they entered the tavern was a small blond woman sitting in a corner, dressed in a shabby faded red robe. As they ate the woman kept looking at them. Marya knew something would happen. "We have to go now or we will have more problems than we need." All rushed their drinks and meals. “And you... big tuba, remember you need a horse”.

 

-- Edited by andrea on Wednesday 19th of December 2012 07:16:19 PM

Selecaf

The air whistled past her head , she felt elated , up , up she went , past trees, clouds, soaring higher and higher .
She flapped her huge leathery wings , swooped down, then up , around, this was fantastic!
She knew what to do.. she squeezed the chemical from one side , then the other , took a deep lungful , and the point when they mixed she blew with all her might " Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Large plums of flame rolled from her open mouth singeing the tree tops ... she looked back at the chaos she had caused ...
"Sele!?"
"Uh? What ?" Her mouth was dry as snuff, she slapped her lips together , and realized she had drooled down her face . Wiping it off on the back of her hand . Marya said " Well that's attractive! "
" Sorry , I must of nodded off " Muttered Selecaf.She quickly looked at the others , embarrassed , but Fede and Rygar were deep in discussion about where they were to go next.
She had mixed feelings about Rygar , now she had decided not to kill him, sometimes he was so rude and cocksure that she was tempted to slit his throat there an then " My name is Selecaf and you will be the first person I kill today" Was what she always said.Then sometimes he would just look at her and she would go wobbly inside ..this was one off those times ... she flushed then snuggled back down resting her head on Marya , "sing me one of your songs Rosey lea .. I'm soo sleepy tonight ".
Lets the boys make their plans , she thought , tonight I have flown as a dragon ...

-- Edited by YvyB on Friday 21st of December 2012 02:15:05 PM

Potty

As they had their last meal in Lannisport, Potty’s mind was racing. He switched his tankard from one hand to another, looking at the small waves of ale that formed inside of it. He wanted to laugh at the thought that this was the second ship that sunk under his feet. This one wasn’t his doing, at least. He could take no comfort in that, however. While he and Aestylla were waiting on the shore for their clothes to dry, he remembered his days on that miserable rock in the bay of Crabbpeople, trying to piece together what happened. The two men that Aunt Milfred sent with him to guard the stack of sacarynne had butchered the captain and his first mate during the night, and by morning Potty learned –much to his despair – that they were to stop in King’s Landing instead of making their way further, to Old Town. No, he had patients to care for, and Aunt Milfred….”Already knows, you dimwit. Now sit there and don’t make any trouble, or we’ll feed you to the fishes.” they threatened. Potty reconsidered his situation quickly. He always hated fishes anyway. But when those brutes killed the ship’s cook the next day, Potty had enough.
The ship never made it to King’s Landing.Why was it going there in the first place? And why the secrecy?

The waves in Potty’s tankard had settled. Aestylla pinned his hand with her own. “You’ll spill that and you’ll be stinking of piss poor beer the whole way to… wherever you’re going.” Potty then realized. Where *was* he going? Aliza ran with the map he had shown her, but that was a drunk man’s rambling s. Then there was Mole's Town, but that was a fool’s dream. He suddenly felt so desolate he started singing. He drank a lot that night. Thought and drank, drank and thought, until his mind cleared.
Mad-Targ hair she said, and I suggested King’s Landing. But Aerys never seemed that way, not until a few years ago...  He gasped. Could it be… He searched the dusty drawers of his mind and made some calculations.  “At the same time the female sapitos died in all the swamps around Torvos…and the shipments of sacarynne stopped.”
He slapped his forehead so hard he knocked his chair and ended up on the floor. He started laughing, like a drugged tortoise on its back. Aerys..that must be it. All the symptoms fit! That last shipment of sacarynne was intended for his use. He’s a sacarynne fiend going through withdrawal… He stooped and rushed back on his knees. Sacarynne withdrawal leads to increased paranoia, brutality and....by the Seven! What was the fool thinking?! He thought he’d always have it. But he was mistaken, or led on. The frog species who’s glands were the key ingredient for sacarynne had all died out. Aunt Milfred has kept this a secret, but Potty knew the truth. Even if they can grow them again in Torvos, there would be no shipment for years. The bastard will be out of control, he’ll doom us all…

And in that moment, Potty knew what he must do. He must vomit.
And then he must head to King’s Landing .

The night had proven to be a fickle adviser. Aestylla tried easing his pockets of a few dragons, but he was slowly learning the tricks of the trade. Trust no one, least of all beautiful women. Beautiful women that smelled like eastern spices when they lay atop of you. NO. You’re making yourself look a fool. He snapped out of it.
When Aestylla mentioned Highgarden, he realized he couldn’t go to King’s Landing without first consulting with an old friend. She'd help him, she knew all about poisons.

Fate seemed to throw at them a different old friend though, just as they were finally about to set sail.

Wimpa, Part 4

As the sun crossed the upper sky Wimpa and her steady steed Brownie picked their way north slowly through the forested lands with the aim of staying away from the main road. A woman alone, even a Septa, could not count on the kindness of strangers in Westeros, even with the many laws and traditions of hospitality. Bandits were known to ply these roads, and Wimpa would avoid most of them by staying clear of the roads. But often the streams that watered the horses were near the roads, or near enough that the noise of the travelers talking, singing, or the hooves and wheels could be heard from the stream while Wimpa was giving Brownie a break to drink and filling her water flask. So it was that a scuffle was heard from across the stream, perhaps a hundred yards off near the road, and Wimpa quickly took note. She led Brownie away from the stream to a sturdy tree out of sight, tied her off, and slowly, silently, and swiftly crossed the stream toward the noise. After the stream crossing, she reached into her pocket to find her pouch, and put on her magic pearls. This would be the true test, if she could observe the fracas without being detected, perhaps she could learn more of the local political environs. And so she picked her way toward the voices and the noise, staying low and stepping softly so as not to distract.

"Hand over your saddlebags, your pouches, and your food and horses, and we'll leave you with your lives" she heard one gruff voice shout, as the shapes of 4 men came into her view through the many leaves and branches ahead. "Please Sers, Mercy" she heard one voice squeak back, "that's all we have, we'll surely die without our horses and goods! We're in the service of Lord Lannister, he'll surely punish you for attacking his own bakers boys!" "Your health is not my worry varmint," the gruff voice continued, "and since my knife is at your throat, it appears I WILL be TAKING your goods. Stop squeaking and your lives will be spared."

Wimpa could see that this was a clear case of 2 bandits using their weapons, skills, and larger stature to bully these 2 young travelers out of their worldly goods, and she could not abide the injustice. What good is a Faceless Woman unless she is willing to stand up for the downtrodden? She unsheathed her dagger, bounded up behind the largest bandit who'd been doing most of the growling, and slit his throat in one swift motion. Clearly she was unseen, as the young man who had been held by the bandit turned once realizing he was now freed, and watched his oppressor drop to the ground like a large sack of potatoes with a thud. Hot blood gurgled from his throat and sullied the ground while Wimpa moved to the other bandit a few feet away, who'd been holding the other traveler in a similar posture and was trying to figure out what had just happened to his leader. Taking advantage of the confusion, she dispatched the second bandit and stepped back to avoid his falling on her cloak. She then removed the pearls upon seeing the second bandit dead at her feet, and tapped the second traveler on the shoulder.

"Wha….wha….where did you come from? How did you do that? Who are you, what is happening?" the second and smaller traveler mumbled as his companion moved over to him to check that they were both unharmed. "Thank you kind Lady," he said to Wimpa, "you have saved us from certain death and despair" as he checked his and his companions' limbs for injury. They began to giggle with joy that they had been saved, and turned to introduce themselves to their saviour. "I am Puddy and this is Piedo my brother, we're on our way to become apprentice bakers at Lannisport in service to our lieges the Lannisters. We have not been away from our village before, and have little experience with bandits and fighting…you have saved us Lady, how can we repay you?" they giggled and looked expectantly at Wimpa. "Well, my friends, I am no Lady, but Septa Wimpa, of the Red Lord R'hlorr, and am also headed toward Lannisport to assist in spreading the word of the Lord to those in Westeros. I would welcome companions, and will help you learn the ways of safety on the road if you will follow my lead." "Why yes, yes, anything you say, we are happy to have found a more worldly companion and mentor to help us find our way north," said Puddy, clearly the leader of the pair of gangly and naive teenagers, "our father would have accompanied us north, but who would have fed the village then? He had no choice but to send us on our own." "Well, lucky for you that you have been saved by a kind Septa, let us move these bodies off into the ditch and come, follow me off the main road where we will be safer from bandits. If you learn quickly, follow my actions, you will see that sometimes the slower road will get you to your destination in a safer and quicker way than the main road with all its dangers. First check their pockets, we do need funds for our travels and they won't be needing whatever they have now. Jewelry too, take it all and give it here," she held out her hand as they checked the pockets, finding 2 small pouches, a necklace and a few gold rings. "Not bad, they had been busy. Well, their labors won't be wasted, thanks to the Lord" she added and looked up with a praying motion before stashing the goods in her pockets. "Thanks to the Lord," the boys echoed, mimicking her prayerful hands and looking up to the sky. "Good, they catch on quickly," she thought before pronouncing aloud, "all right, this way, bring your horses through, they'll get used to the forest paths in no time." As she led them into the forest and back to where she had left Brownie. Now there would be a night watch, and perhaps better sleep with 2 companions to share the burden. Lannisport was looking better all the time with bakers apprentices by her side. Wimpa grinned slightly as she mounted Brownie and led her posse north. "We'll be there soon Jak, we'll get you out, never fear," she thought as they picked their way through the forest once again. And the pearls, they will come in handy indeed.

-- Edited by MrsHghar on Sunday 30th of December 2012 06:03:49 PM

Aliza:

She had little time.

Her distraction on "The Parpy Milkmaid" had become too much of one, the inept sailors did not stop the fire in time, and now the hulk had drifted to the nearby piers and ignited the ships docked there. The blaze was visible for miles and brought on all the wrong kind of attention. Before she reached the shore she saw figures approach. She spurred Shadow "faster girl, faster!"
She reached the shore only a dozen yards from the figures, who she saw were guards, tried to hail her. "Halt! Hey you HALT!"

"HEEYAH!" she screamed and Shadow bolted, she tried to get as much distance as she could from the shore, she had little time. Word would spread quickly of her little fiery show and certainly guards in nearby towns will keep an eye out for her.
She had to get to Lannisport, there she would convince the Maester to tell her what Potty's map meant, by her charms or by the point of her dagger.

Poor Shadow was tired and after pushing her for two hours she pulled over to a nearby stream, she let her mare drink and tried to come up with a plan. She opened her saddlebag, she had to leave some things behind to keep her weight down, but she kept what counted. She looked in her oat bag to get out some dragons...but something was wrong...it was too light. "Others take my mother up her arse!!" How could she be so foolish? She took the wrong oat bag, and now her gold coins were being counted by the drowned god at the bottom of the sea.

Panicking, she took account of what she had: a worthless oat bag, a few changes of clothes, her dagger "facechanger" and the one she took from that woman...that was it. So, no sightseeing or shopping in Lannisport, just a date with a maester that will solve her riddle of a map, and then keep moving and probably trade the other dagger for some coin.

It was late afternoon when she reached the city, she noticed immediately that this city was one of the Lannisters, Lions decorated many things, door signs, paintings on walls and wares being sold, it was also cleaner and better guarded than other cities she had seen. She tied Shadow under a tree near an outside wall, out of sight "I'll be back soon, girl" as she stroked her faithful mare. She laid the oats in front of her, and shadow dug in hungrily. "Glad at least someone enjoys em", she mused. Aliza pulled her red hair under her cowl and tried to be as inconspicuous as she walked through Lannisports giant main gate.

It was past midnight when she was running out of that same gate, a dozen guards and even a few armored knights at her heels. A few hours before she found the maester easily, and surprisingly it took little to get him to talk as he was fascinated by the map she showed him. "The text is high valyrian! And the markings are odd, they certainly show a place beyond the wall, but a section is missing!" The maester held the map up to a candle, "the map is see through" and it seems another map or figure fits behind it, completing the directions. "Curse the Gods" she thought, "an incomplete map" her luck was not on her side this day. The maester looked through his gaint collection of books and yelped a loud laugh "HAR! There is a clue, it seems the map does need another clue for it to be complete, but it's not paper but flesh!" She was puzzled by his words, "what do you mean old man" growing impatient. "It's a tattoo! The missing part of the map is a tattoo!" and it even says a clue. "The marking travels with a son of Pyke!". She got furious, there are thousands of men from Pyke, all of them have tattoos! How on Earth could I kno...." and then she remembered....RYGAR! That young man in the tavern...with the odd tattoo!

All this was still on her mind, but her time was up...the guards were catching up...as she desperately made he way down to the docks....there she saw two familiar, angry faces...they probably would leave her to the Lions...until she told them what she found out...and they would need her alive since she memorized the map...and the real one was in ashes next to the maesters candle. Potty and Aestilla looked at each other....and by their looks...she knew her luck was back with her....

 

Septa Marya (or Rosie Leah)

Sele, Fede and Rygar are looking at each other, standing outside the Wilted Pickle waiting for…something.

“…limpiaba el agua del rio /como la estrella de la mañana  / limpiaba el cariño mio / el manantial de tu fuente clara / Ay como el agua, ay como el agua, ay como el agua clara… “ Marya sings softly as she´s walking, her goddess knows from where, bringing a horse by the reins and approaches the group just as the IronBron says: “Which one of you has the honor of riding with me today?”.  Marya replied: “No one. Here, this is your horse now. You can put your big tuba at rest now, pickle”. Fede asked: "Marya, niña, who payed for the horse?". “Not me Pepe, better hurry, we have to get to the Mandel river”. They rode like the wind for … 1 km. Then Fede says: "I´m hungry for something that doesn´t taste like honey in this Honeyland. A salty snack would be perfect." Marya said nothing, looked at the sky and sighed remembering her Babieca and all her treasures that had been left with him. "Who would have stolen him?". “I hope you spend the money on medicine, damn you, whoever you are”, she whispered. And was thinking to tell Fede the truth when she spotted a black thing in the sky flying westward.

Suddenly Fede shouts: "Goose! Black big juicy not honeyed goose!Snack!".

Rygar: "That´s not a black salty moose Fede!"

“Pepe, that´s no snack, it´s a fat fuck!” said a confused Marya.

And Selecaf:  "Yes yes a black duck! Take that fat fuck down Marya. No, allow me.  I´m the best with slingshots”. She took a stone from the road and with a magnificent movement of her arms and a brief look from her hawk eyes, focused the target and fired saying: “Fuck a duck!”.

The duck was falling, spinning like a top, close to them. Rygar alerted: “Now duck, fucks! The moose is coming down”.

The poor winged beast got caught in a tree. Federyco ran towards the black creature. He seemed disappointed. "It´s just a raven but has some kind of message". Suddenly his face shone. "An invitation from blah blah blah & Lady Olenna Redwyne! I adore her, I believe". Rygar walks over and reads too: "Blah blah blah the Tourney of Roses blah blah blah. This is a salty coincidence! Let´s go there right now!". Federyco quickly forgot his doubts about the IronBron and Selecaf and was already making plans for the tournament with Rygar.

Selecaf snatched the invitation: “Give me that!” blah blah blah Parade of Roses? Rosie, we must go there, we could dance and sing and…”

“No, wait there,” Marya said. “These are the Tyrrells we are talking about Pepe, they hate Dornish people and we are Dornish. They hate our dark shiny curles and beautiful eyes.”

Fede seemed to regain his wits: “Yes yes especially our shiny hair, you´re right Marya, as always”.

Selecaf insisted: “But Rosy… errrr Marya we could wear a pretty dress and dance and have fun and… make a float! And dance!”

Fede and Selecaf seemed so happy that Marya did not have the heart to object. As she healed the raven´s leg and settled his feathers said: "Oh, all right, after all may be a good place to hide.” She looked at Rygar: “If I do this I want to know more about you, IronBron. Tell me again: Who is your sister, who is the guy with the  peach ..." (and in a lower voice) "Who made you that tattoo. Here, you take the raven.”

They rode again. All of them thrilled and excited, each immersed in their own thoughts until they reached the gates of Highgarden two nights later.

"Now what Pepe?".

-- Edited by andrea on Wednesday 9th of January 2013 11:59:25 AM

Potty:

They’ve been sailing for three days now, and for three days the wind had not stopped. They were making good time, better than they had hoped for. But to what end? This question had been buzzing Potty like a drunken mosquito for the past two nights. He agreed he would travel together with Aestylla Tollettas as far as Highgarden, to replenish their stocks and get some well deserved rest before venturing on. Potty was keen on reaching King’s Landing as fast as he could, to investigate the mystery of Aerys’ “wacca-wacca”, as Gaeyom wisely put it the previous night, as they were dining. If the King *was* indeed suffering from sacarynne withdrawal, things would only get worse. Something had to be done, no matter how drastic. Otherwise, the whole kingdom could suffer a most terrible fate under his rule.
However, their unexpected reunion with Aliza complicated things, like beans complicate the air in a room after a hearty meal. She was telling the truth this time, he realized. She had been desperate enough to strike a bargain with them, but now it was she alone that knew where the snows north of The Wall had hidden the dragon eggs that Potty told her about. He would have to get it out of her somehow, but he would deal with that once they reached land. She was far too dangerous to cross on water, he remembered. They reached this silent agreement – she would not try to steal back her golden dragons, and he would not tell the captain to feed her to the starfishes. It was hard enough getting her on board as it is, luckily the captain seemed to have little love for the Lannisters and used every chance he got to meddle in their stew. He had a harder time keeping Aestylla away from the busty redhead though; Aliza’s rescue had cost his new companion two broken ribs, and Potty had worked hard to keep Aestylla’s murderous plans at bay.
“You double-crossing, larve eating buffoon! You are either insane, suicidal, or a pea-brain, and I roll with neither. Ever since I met you in that filthy tavern you have turned my life upside-down.” She started counting on her fingers. “I have been KIDNAPPED. GAGGED. BURNT. SHIPWRECKED. TRAMPLED.”
Potty pulled her hand away. “I know. I was there too for the most part. Well…not the kidnapped and gagged part, but…” She was fuming and her ears were turning as crimson as her lips. “Trust me. This one time. She’s valuable to us. Yes, I said to *us*, I’ll make amends – I promise. I have been foolish and careless but she can lead us to something you’ve only heard in your wet-nurse’s stories. I need her. “ Aestylla puffed and turned away but Potty hanged on to her sleeve. “You need her too, I remember. “
“My...”, she turned on the spot.
“I’ll get it for you. Only if you promise to…well, not use it on her later.”
She thought for a bit. “I hate you” was her only reply. He smiled and left her.
Potty did not know if he could really make it up to her – he needed to get to King’s Landing before venturing North, and settling things in King’s Landing could take up to a year. Surely she had things of her own to take care of once they reached Highgarden. But he felt sorry for her pain and broken ribs, which always came to mind when the deck would creak under his feet.
On the morning of their fifth day he found Aliza on the back of the ship, her eyes caught on the coast they had left behind.
“Missing Lannisport already?” Potty chuckled. She couldn’t hear him, or so it seemed. She left Shadow behind, he realized it only then. “Listen, I want something from you.” This she could hear, and she eyed him playfully. He leaned over. “You keep it between your thighs”, he whispered in her ear.
“Oh, you dirty snail…” she started purring.
“What..? Oh that, maybe some other time. I was talking about that dragonbone dagger you’ve been carrying….ever since you stole it….right before you burned the last ship we were on…and left us all to die” Potty carefully punctuated each sentence.
“What utter non-sense, I only have one thing between my thighs and it’s not a dragonbone dagger. Feel free to take a look”, she whispered back.
“Of course there isn’t. Just like there is no rumored prison-sept for wanton women on Greyshield either, yet I have seen it. “ Her eyes betrayed her and he could read the surprise, and then the horror behind them. “But since we’re just passing the Shield Islands, I thought we might visit. I already alerted the captain. They make a wonderful pumpkin soup, as I recall.”, he chipped casually.
Aliza stood defiantly for a few moments. “Don’t you dare pass near that place. I will eat every one of you alive before going back there again.” She gave him a hard, hateful look and she unbuckled her belt. “Take the bloody thing. We’re even now.”

They passed The Shield Islands just as the sun was going down and the moon was rising above the Mander.

Federyco

Highgarden rose in the distance, its towers and spires ever rising up over the hills as their party rode closer to the ever growing castle. Even the landscape changed as they approached, farms and subsistence agriculture began giving way to floral gardens and trimmed hedges. It appeared that the poor along the way had a much brighter life, as the beggar children who ran up alongside their horses wore bright colors in floral patterns, a side effect of living in the shadow of the most wondrous gardens in all of Westeros. 

As the white walls of Highgarden began to loom higher, the gardens surrounding the capitol of the Reach became more elaborate, more decorative, as if each property vied for the next attention of the great edifice ahead, trying to outdo one another in color, exotic mix, aroma, height, sheer expense and time and energy put into the décor. 

And then, empty gardens began to give way to streamers, people on horses, parties of arrivals wishing to take part in the celebration. Houses sworn to the Tyrells, close to Highgarden had already begun their camps outside the city gates, ready to support their nights. The colorful banners streaming in the bright sun now seemed to be gardens in and of themselves. Here the greens and yellows of Cordwayner reminded Federyco of a field of dandelions. The red huntsmen on green of Tarly was in such an orderly formation like carnations in a carefully manicured field. People were milling about in the glorious colors of their houses as well.

Federyco turned to Rygar, “Fear not, Ironbron, I've doubt that any Ironmen will be in attendance. What say you, Lady Peep?” When there was response, Federyco turned around and saw the boyish woman was no longer with them, “Septa, did you see?”

“I...” Septa Marya stuttered. She seemed genuinely surprised that the other woman was missing. “She was next to me mere moments ago.”

Federyco turned back to Rygar, who was suddenly behind him, almost shrinking to make himself invisible. “What is going on?'

“Fede, the peaches, over there, coming this way...” Marya hissed, and he turned and grimaced to see a pair of soldiers bearing the vaginal fruit of House Myrn on a field of black and white zigzags.

“Oh, mierde” Federyco spit under his breath as the men approached, trying desperately not to seem too obviously annoyed by them.

-- Edited by Cary Storm on Monday 14th of January 2013 02:46:15 PM

Septa Marya

“Ah, mierda”  was the next thing Marya heard as she thought  where and how Selecaf could sneak out. Federyco's voice turned her gaze and she saw the soldiers.  “Pepe, huge vaginas coming this way“.“Shhhhh Marya, those are soldiers of House Myrn. See the giant peach?", says Federyco with a tiny smile and a wink of his eye. “I see only hoo hoos”, Marya replied, trying not to burst out laughing. “Yes, my lovely, poonanie danger, I know, please let me do all the talking”. 

“Uhu, hoo hoo, hoohah. Yes, my coochie pop”, Marya chuckles. “What is is with you IronBron? Why are you hiding?”. Rygar covered with a blanket and lying on his horse, sets behind Federyco. “Those men are after me”. “I say those men are blind and stupid. You have nothing to fear”, says Marya enjoying the moment. Rygar ignores her and stays under the blanket. Federyco ask them to be quiet and talk with the Myrn men.

“ Good morrow, Señores, my name is Lawrence of A Labia and here is my sister Marya, Septa of the Little Debbies and we´re going to Tuna town. Can you give us the directions?”. The soldiers doubt and look at each other: “Ummmm do you know that place Sarg.?” says the one in charge. Federyco insists: “Maybe a place call Beaver? We heard they made a great  mommy's pie. No? Pitty”. Marya could not understand what they said triying not to laugh out loud in front of them. She felt proud of Federyco. “Sometimes I love you Pepe, dear brother”.

Marya´s still laughing while one of the Myrn men look out over the horse where Rygar hid and asks:“What´s in that horse back there?”. Federyco jumped so Marya answered. “What horse? Bajingo? He´s not a horse, he´s a camel toe”. Federyco interrupts. “That´s Pink truffle, sister, you always confuse them, hohohoho”. “Tomatoes tomatos”, says Marya. Rygar couldn´t resist and mimicking a female voice says: “Slurpee machine“. Federyco is about to explode and laughs, cheering Rygar´s joke.The soldiers look puzzled: “That horse there. That horse that spoke just now.” Rygar insists with the silly voice: “Fun hatch”. Marya coughs distracting the Myrn men: “Oh, you mean Poontang? Oh it´s nothing, just lady parts. Pure cha-cha.”  Federyco couldn´t breath but managed to say: “All right I think we´re going now, gentle soldiers. It´s time to eat and  I´m dying for a taco twat”.  “Or an Enchilada of love”, said Rygar. The Men of the Peach are getting restless and Marya address the one who seemed to command the little party and look at her with greedy eyes. “Señor…can I know your name?”. “Captain JJ at your service ma'am”, the soldier interrupts her.  Marya look at Fede who´s crying. She realized she must finish this now and says. “Yes, Captain JJ. Our horses carry cooters and sugar walls. You see, these are perishable and sometimes stinky things like fish lips? I think you understand. So, we need to live now if you don´t mind, the Septas are waiting and they´re crazy for juicy minge. Oh, but I´m being unpolite. Do you needed something, kind Señor?”. Everything went too fast for the Captain who looked blankly at Marya, probably lost in her charm. “We´re looking for a man. An IronBron called Rygar, the Maidenbreaker”.

A tear rolled down Marya´s face.“The Maidenbreaker you say?” She couldn´t keep talking. Her stomach was cramping and the laughter made her cry like a baby. Federyco regain calm and says.” Well Captain, we would never allow such a character to live, don´t we? I must protect my nana from such  picaroon. We would love to help you but we know nothing about that Yoni. We are very sorry”.  “Yes, yes of course, you need to protect your beautiful, exotic sister. Take care, gentle Sir”, says the Captain approaching Marya to kiss her hand.

She wipes the tears from her face and says. “We´ll never forget you, brave Captain of the Peaches looking for a maidenbreaker. If we cross ways with that twat we´ll bring him to you like a happy flappy. I am so glad to have met you, dear Captain, you've cheered my day and now… Adieu”. Marya drops her handkerchief and leaves the Captain pining for her. 

-- Edited by andrea on Thursday 17th of January 2013 06:20:52 PM

Wimpa #5

Three days into the forest with her new posse and Wimpa felt good about this move. With a rotation of three to man the watch, everybody got a chance to sleep and woke refreshed. Bakers apprentices had other benefits as breakfast was now a delicious mix of honey cakes with berries and salted bacon, much better than the squirrel stew she had become accustomed to on her own. After the morning meal they had come to a morning habit of a brief arms training exercise before taking to the horses again. Puddy was showing some skill with a short sword, and Piedo was not totally hopeless with the bow and arrows they had salvaged from the bandits. She taught him how to make his own arrows in the evenings by the fire, and knowing her night watchmen had some reasonable skills made her sleep better still.

"Survival in the realm requires more than just bread and honey," she had instructed the boys, and they had taken to their training with zeal. "Nobody ever bothered to teach poor bakers' boys any weapons Ma'M," Puddy had explained, "We never thought the road to Lannisport would be so dangerous. We were trailing along with some merchants before we got separated, and they had a sellsword or two with them, so we felt secure. We surely would have been killed without your help when those bandits found us. Maybe we'll never need these skills once we're in Lannisport, but we'll be grateful to have them should the need arise. And we'll be forever grateful to you of course." "Good then, let's stick together and we'll be fine," she assured them, "with daily practice you'll be ably skilled should the need arise." Piedo usually echoed everything Puddy said, with a "Yes Ma'm," or "by your leave Septa" and he could be counted upon to do what he said he would do. Wimpa kept her instructions swift and pointed, and the boys were quick to follow. As day followed night, she was anxious to reach town.

Now they would be approaching Lannisport in a day if the weather held, and she was anxious to find out if Jak was amongst those held in the dungeons there. Perhaps it was time to share her goals with her companions, but she did not want to give them too much to absorb too quickly. She had told them she was sharing the word of the Red God with the towns of Westeros, and had hoped to pick up some new converts to return to the temples in Essos as they were always looking for new talent as Septas and Priests. Returning with new recruits would be a way to please the Red God, a way to continue the spread of the faith. So far the boys appeared to understand her goals, and the fact that she was skilled in weaponry did not appear odd to them since a traveling Septa would be in danger without some survival skills. Still, Wimpa wasn't ready to share her plans about the dungeons yet. Take one step at a time, get to Lannisport, find the boys their new stations, then find a way to the dungeons. She thought all this through while they picked their way through the forest again, the boys behind her slightly as she was the more experienced scout. Hearing a loud crack up ahead Wimpa held hand out in her signal to stop, and all the horses stopped quickly. She jumped down off Brownie and tied her to a nearby low branch, then saw the boys do the same with their mounts and the spares the were trailing. She gave them her hand signal to wait quietly, and silently slinked, ninja-style, through the foliage toward the sounds that were getting louder as she moved toward the road. Once out of sight of the boys, Wimpa quietly reached into her pouch and donned her magic pearls as she still could not tell what was happening on the road and the numbers of those she may encounter or need to flee from. Invisibility had its benefits.

Through the shrubs Wimpa could see that it was another bandit situation, this time with a woman and her child of about seven years, and three bandits, one walking in front of the other two taunting the woman, the two each holding a hostage. With the two holding the hostages only a few feet apart, Wimpa decided to follow her method of eliminating the greatest threat first and silently approached behind the leader. In a second he was down and bleeding, so she quickly wheeled around to the other two before they could realize what was happening. A slash to the throat each was all it took to free the hostages and retreat to the shrubs, where she removed the pearls, pocketed them swiftly, and emerged visibly to find the woman and child embracing each other tearfully with the dead bandits at their feet. Wimpa whistled and the boys were at her side, they quietly removed all valuables from the bandits and pushed the bodies to the side of the road. As Wimpa went to the mother's side and helped her to a nearby tree stump to catch her breath, the woman looked up at Wimpa and said in awe "Who are you? What just happened?" Wimpa patted her shoulder and said, "Not to worry Ma'm, we're friends of the Red God R'hllor on our way to Lannisport, and you're safe now. Lucky for you, we have some spare horses over yonder a few paces. Where are you headed?" "To Lannisport as well, my husband is a soldier and we were bringing some supplies from the farm for him. We did not expect bandits this close to the town, how did you manage to kill so many so quickly?" "With the help of R'hllor my friend, I'm Septa Wimpa, these are my companions Puddy and Piedo apprentice bakers boys on their way to Lannisport as well, what is your name?" "Petunia, and my wee daughter is Pansy. We have a farm not far from here, perhaps we should return there for the night and head to town in the morning? This has been a frightful day for wee Pansy, those men were cruel." "We would welcome a night under cover of a roof ma'm, we shall accept your hospitality." And with that, they retrieved their horses, picked up the scattered provisions from the road and headed back to the farm, leaving the dead bandits where they lay to serve as a warning to any who might attempt similar misdeeds. "Soon Jak, soon we'll be there" thought Wimpa, a satisfied grin filling her face. A woman and child could be very helpful in creating a distraction, her plan was coming together.

Septa Marya

 “This will cost you, Pepe”, says  Marya between the teeth, knowing she can not refuse because she had lost the money when somebody  robbed her Babieca and it was true, they needed the gold. Marya speaks to the little man: “Yes, I´m the discreetest, besides, we don´t know people here, if that reassures you. Take us with that person then”. "Right, but we must get away from here. M'lady is waiting". They followed the little grey man into the crowd for a rather long stretch until he asked them to leave their horses and follow him on foot along a narrow road surrounded by large trees, however Marya could see the white castle of Highgarden so she understood that the person who asked for the “reading” was someone important. And she was right because down the wooded path, the little man made them go through a door that open onto a very narrow path lined with beautiful and colorful flowers and surrounded by short and neatly cut shrubs.  Suddenly they were turning from left to right, back and forward again, dazed and stunned, crushing all the lovely little flowers in their path. They were in Highgarden´s gardens. The little man, very alarmed, was sweating and taking his head with his hands in sign of alarm while saying: "You two seem like those dornish, so awkard and clumsy and ugly". It seems like Marya will grab the man by the neck but Fede, both amused, excited and skipping, interrupts her, saying: “Calm down Marya, look! It´s a laberynth”. “Yes Pepe”, said a worried Marya pointing at the castle. “A maze in Highgarden´s gardens”. Federyco clapped and smiled a silly smile and probably giggled too. “Yay! Castle!” Marya rolled her eyes and when Fede couldn´t see her she mocks him mimicking the clapping. Then she asks the little man: "Señor, how are we supposed to get out of here?" The little man didn´t answered, he was walking very fast, like he was nervous. They made a few more turns until they found a small garden. Sitting on a stone bench was a person wrapped in a green coat. Marya knew it was an important woman. A fine lady. But, who can she be? Marya knew certain things about the Tyrells but above all she knew they did not like the Dornish. “Well, we are here now, there´s nothing we can do”. "I need to be alone pequeño Señor. No no, don´t take Pepe away, I need him here to connect with my spirits…but you can go". The man reluctantly withdrew after his lady told him to go. Marya starts making strange gestures as if she was moving things in the air, then she sits next to the woman. She place her hands in an attitude of praying. "Santa Kali, protect and help your gypsy because she´s about to see in the fog of fate”

-- Edited by andrea on Sunday 27th of January 2013 05:29:59 PM

Potty

Auntie Greenie Wyd's place had that special charm only a dusty, funny-smelling furnace would have. Something would always be fuming, and the constant fog that lingered in the air kept them in a state of permanent drunkenness. Potty had never felt more at home and at dinner he performed all the necessary rituals for renaming Auntie Greenie's apothecary "The Bathtub". Which basically meant accidentally spilling a tankard of ale, spitting on it, and then trying unsuccessfully to wipe the small puddle with his filthy boot.
The ladies cheered, Gaeyom quaked happily, and they all asked for another round. And while Auntie Greenie was in the kitchen, serving an old customer of hers, they started making plans. Potty couldn't keep track of those plans, however, on account of his current state of intoxication. Gaeyom proved to be a distraction too, especially when the little toad decided to nest on his head and tickle his bald spot.
".......need to find a way to track the whereabouts of the ironborn" he heard Aliza finish her thought. "Mayhaps he'll be here, with the tourney and all. All of Westeros is here, if you were judging by the piss smell in the back alleys." Aestylla still seemed unimpressed. "I still don't understand why you and Potty want to go after those eggs. They can bring you bags full of gold, and they can also bring you four-and-ninety ways of getting yourself killed along the way."
"Isn't that what makes it so exciting?" Aliza shrugged. Potty was just about to say something and raise the level of wisdom in the room to frightening heights, when he realized that the old woman Auntie Greenie was serving had stopped dead in her tracks, inches away from their table. She was old and short, with pale skin and red eyes. She pointed her black cane at him and whispered "now comes the knight, and the green toad.." Potty eyed her like one would eye a headless chicken. Which is, with amusement. But the woman kept whispering. "There will come a night after a long day when the roses bloom and the clatter of cheap tourney armor falls heavy on the world. Amidst these many warriors, a toad knight will be born again to put dragons back to sleep." She finished in a fit of cough, after which she seemed to have no recollection of what she had just been babbling. She turned and left them, like she was never there in the first place.
They managed to stay silent for only a few moments, before chocking on their own laughter.
"Auntie Greenie shouldn't treat all her customers with magic mushrooms" Aliza wiped a tear. "Oy! I did no such thing, and ye'd better mind yer tongue, that old shriveled thing could curse you with kraken between your legs before you get to say.." "I've had krakens. Bit quick and smelly, but not all bad." winked Aliza and they started laughing again.
"Maybe your toad should enter the tourney", chuckled Auntie Greenie, eyeing Gaeyom who was hopping up and down Potty's sleeve.
"Wait just a minute, that's *my* toad." Aestylla was quick to point out. Meanwhile, Aliza tried to be serious. "Now now, Potty, don't put any dragon back to sleep. I thought we were going to do just the opposite."
"It doesn't have to be an actual dragon, though, it could just mean their sigils." Aestylla had a reply for everything. "Maybe the toad knight is a...who has a toad sigil? And the dragon is a Targaryen. HEY! Have all the lists been filled? We should find this pair and bet on it, I wouldn't mind some easy money."
"Maybe we should just force our luck and compete. One of us could squeeze Gaeyom under our shirt", Aliza started thinking out loud. "We could beat half of those llama herders."
Potty kept turning the words inside his head. He couldn't make much of the toad part, but he couldn't ignore the fact that Gaeyom had taken a special interest in him from the start. "It doesn't have to be an actual dragon." If the prophecy was true, it never said it would happen during the tourney. And he was going to King's Landing after all.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't it?" he concluded with a sly smile. "We enter the tourney."

Federyco

As soon as they turned to follow the little man, Fede heard a strange commotion toward the playing field—a woman shrieking in agony. He paused for a moment too see, but there were so many people converging in one place he could not pinpoint the source of the horrible noise. And then he had lost Marya and the little man...no, he spotted Marya's colorful scarfs ducking between a hedge and he ran toward it, eager to catch up. As soon as he reached the hedge Marya was right around the next corner, with an annoyed look, waving him to follow. He began to fill with a wave of cheer and started skipping along. “Calm down Marya...look! It's a labarynth,” he said and giggled.

The small man hurried them along through the gardens, by a castle, until they reached a small tea garden with a woman sitting alone. Federyco maintained a dumb look as he examined the woman. Although she was intentionally disguised in muted colors, and had a silk veil over her face, Federyco could tell this was a woman of high standing, the way she composed herself as she nodded in agreement when Marya sent the little man away.

“Santa Kali, protect and help your gypsy because she´s about to see in the fog of fate.” Federyco began to hum in response in the upper range of his voice. “mmmmm... fog of haaaaate...”

“Help me and lead me,” Marya continued as Federyco hummed, “nnnnnhhhh.... leeeead her....”

“Madam, this is a great day to read palms,” Marya shot a quick glare at Federyco before he could sing in response and instead he lowered the volume of his humming to a nice, background noise. She placed her hands out, face up, indicating the other woman should do the same. Federyco saw a very slight change in Marya's expression and he looked down at the hands, humming the entire time. The woman was certainly highborn. The soft palms had never seen a day of work in their life. And the woman was not highly intelligent, for she left her jewelry on, a bracelet of tiny carved jade roses amid gold interlinking vines. This woman was a member of the ruling house at Highgarden! One of the Lord's two daughters or...

Then, as he continued his humming, Federyco noticed the bracelet on the other hand, a very elegant piece made of tiny ivory blocks fastened together. And while it was not obvious to the unobservant eye, Federyco could see the blocks were carefully carved with intent, exact replicas of the white bricks that made up the tall, white tower in Oldtown, the High Tower. “Mi Sapito-San, come closer, you must record this reading, pour la GALERIE” Marya said, confirming on her own the suspicion; this woman was the wife to the heir of Highgarden, and mother two his two young sons, and a daughter of House Hightower.

“Must he be so close?” the Lady asked, “his breath...”

“I see!” Marya spat out now, so suddenly that Fede momentarily arrested his hum. “I see a fat man!” The Lady nodded. “Your husband?” She nodded more vigorously. “He is very large. Very large indeed.”

“He's not that big,” the Lady muttered.

“And he is expecting to receive something of note, something valuable. It is right here in your fortune line see? Fear not, he will receive it very soon. And you have two sons. The first is Willy. Um. He will be bit by a carmine snake. And....um...” Marya made an instant look at Federyco, and he realized that she didn't know it. As he hummed, he tried to sound out, “mmmmmmgarrrrrrrrrrlannnnnnnnnnmmmm”

“Willy and Garden? You have a son named Garden?” Marya said, a look of perplexity on her face.

The Lady turned her head at Federyco then back at Marya. “What is happening here?”

She was getting suspicious and so Federyco had to think of something quick. Did a trick he learned as a child, and rolled his eyes into his head and clasped his hands together, and in a deep, fake slow monotone voice he said, “haz una pregunta sobre la reina del espinas” praying that the Lady would never have heard Espanyolle, the peasant language of their village.

“The spirits are talking to us now!” Marya declared loudly, picked up on Federyco at once. “They are telling me what is is bothering you. They want me to tell you of your mother!”

“My moth...”

“No, not your mother. Your good-mother. She is called a queen.”

“Oh, her. What about her?” the Lady snapped, her mood instantly changing. “Will she die soon?”

“She is a thorny soul. She is a dark flower. She may die soon.”

The Lady jerked her hands back. “Clausio!” she called, then added, “I do not think you are a fortune teller at all. This has been a waste of my time. Clausio!” She crossed her arms as the little man returned. “Send these two dark little Dornish thieves back to where they came from.”

Federyco grimaced at the word “Dornish thieves,” and he could see Marya begin to fume. “My Lady, you should not have said that,” he advised.

-- Edited by Cary Storm on Friday 1st of February 2013 11:01:07 AM

Potty

The hour of the wolf had come and gone, but Highgarden had forgotten the howling of the wolves. In the sky above, the moon lay full and fat. Down below, tens of pavilions had risen on the tourney grounds, crowded like sardynnes in a fishing net. Fire and song still filled the air, even this late in the night, and this early in the morning. She would hear none of it ever again, not the crackling of the fire, nor the merry songs.
They dug a whole in the ground, under a great old arrayan tree. Aestylla knew that tree well, but not once did she spoke while they laid her on the damp earth, wrapped in a green sheet of silk that looked almost as tiny as she did. Potty thought Aliza would have wished for her body to burned, but in the end wondered if anything he thought about her was true. All he knew was that she left them just as she found each them. Out of nowhere. So Aestylla decided for all three of them in the end. She would be buried under the old arrayan, with its leaves green as her eyes, and its wood that had the color of fire. "These roots go deep", Potty thought, when they finished covering her. She has a home now. This thought gave him some peace. She could have been sleeping.
"The arrayan will blossom soon", he heard Aestylla say in a low voice. "The ground will be white and full of petals and..." Gaeyom was hiding in her pocket, with his head peeking out. She didn't finish her thought.
"Do you want to leave?" Potty asked with a heavy voice.
"No, let's stay for a little while". They sat in silence on the moist grass.
"I keep forgetting sometimes, what poison is. What poison does." In this light, she seemed no more than a frightened child.
"All poisons do the same, they control, they change...they kill. Aren't you afraid? Isn't your aunt?"
"Auntie...no. No! We don't...We didn't mean to...It's just a means to get by, it's what we know. What we've always known." Aestylla sulked and her bottom lip started trembling like a one of the leaves of the arrayan. "You know of poisons too."
"I know of healing. I only used them when I wanted to take pain away. Only when it was asked of me. She didn't ask..."
"No, she stole it! She brought this...." Aestylla stopped and got up, teeth all clenched. "I can't be here anymore. I'll meet you later, somewhere." She left them without looking back. Him. She left him. There was no them anymore.
Dawn will come soon, and with it the Parade of the Roses. Highgarden didn't smell of roses anymore though. It smelled of death.
He rose and whispered something, before patting the ground one last time, and heading towards the tourney grounds.
A dim light was coming through the leaves, and falling on its roots. Peasants and their cattle will walk under its shade, and a few full moons from now, there will be no stirred earth, only white flowers.

-- Edited by Macha on Saturday 2nd of February 2013 03:20:27 AM

Selecaf

She woke in the morning and remembered everything all at once !
The Kracken , the Summer Islander ... she flushed and felt the dampness on the bed. TANSY ...where the hell was she going to get some off that!

Luckily, her training as a Faceless would provide her with the skills of acquiring coin and the crowds were good and plenty.
She washed and dressed in the skirts her captor had provided.Glanced behind her at the rumpled sheets , grinned,turned on her heel and skipped out of the door down the corridor ... through the kitchens , grabbing some bread rolls , exposing her tits at the baker and out into the bright morning sun. It felt good to be alive ..
"Oof" Straight into Rygar !
"Where in the seven hells have you been ? " He barked at her .. She smoothed her skirts and fumbled with her hair "Why did he make her so self conscious?"She thought.
"Um, er, well, " .
"Um , er , Well? " He mocked ... " Get out of my way woman " He snapped and Jumped on his horse and galloped away ...

By the end of her first day alone , she had stolen quite a large amount of coin and had managed to find a little shop where she could purchase Tansy, "Auntie Greenie Wyd's place" as the local's called it.

She loved it in there , all the smells and funny people, there was even a toad! .

She found a cheap place to bed down that night and in the morning she had to decide her future ..she felt herself missing her Rosie and even the odd Frog man .. Fede, he had a gentleness about him she couldn't put her finger on .. he never looked at her in that way , like most men did ... which was nice ... and he was a very fine dresser ...always smelled wonderful.... yes she was lonely.

Imagine her delight when the next day she was making her way through crowds singing the song Rosie had sung to her , when there she was !“…if it starts flying…” “...it´s a bat!!!” they shouted and laughed at the same time.

After chatting and giggling and catching up about recent events , they decided if future events turned out the way Rosie predicted , they would need a lot more money ... Back in the early days , Rosie and Sele used to work the crowds together ... they would do that now .

-- Edited by YvyB on Saturday 2nd of February 2013 07:36:41 PM

Ser Waemar Targaryen, The Silver Dragon

The wine was watered down, so he flung his flagon aside, it whistled through the air...smashing his squire in the face and then clattering on the wooden floor of his massive tent. "Get me REAL wine, worm, and if I find it lacking I will have you suck off my warhorse, do you understand me? Out of my sight....NOW!" The boy ran out of the tent so fast, all Waemar saw was his tent flap fluttering in the wind.

He asked for Dornish, and Dornish only. It was on his demand scroll, Dornish wine, and three Dornish women to keep his blood high for the upcoming melee. The caramel skinned women had not dissapointed, one was small with stunning green eyes with plump hungry lips, the second was one of the tallest women he had ever met, he could stare in her eyes as he drove into her warm,wet loins all night. The last one had the shiniest, longest black hair that reached all the way to her knees, and her massive teats were a joy to play with. However he had removed them from his presence for now, he needed to focus. They would play again once the days battle was done.

He was a Dragon with nothing to inherit, the grandson of Aerion Targaryen, who's claim to fame was gulping down a bottle of ignited wilfire, he still had the Targaryen name however and it had served him well. So he became a tournament knight, Lords and other nobles were more than happy to accomodate him, gloating to their guests during their melees and tournaments that a Targaryen was there was more than enough to impress and he never dissapointed.

Showmanship was all part of it, his massive silver warhorse "Thraxes" was a sight to see and as sure footed as ever. His ornate silver armor with valyrian steel inlays was the cherry on top of the cake. His personal armourer kept it buffed and polished all the way through. Usually half his opponents would forfeit simply at the sight of him...that was always amusing to see those fools embarass themselves. By his second match after his tournament debut he had already earned his nickname: "The Silver Dragon", and he did not mind it in the least. He even made it his sigil, a double headed dragon made out of silver thread in the middle of a black chevron and an ocean of red....he loved it.

He also had the strong bones, strength, height and silver hair of his ancestors, he had heard tales of Dothraki horse lords that had their hair tied into a long braid to display their victories in battle. His silver braid hung shining and heavy all the way to his lower back, never lost a melee or a tournament. Looking at the lists it seemed like it would be another boring show.

Granted he used his money and infuence to sort the lists in his favor, secord rate upjumped hedge knights made for spectacular heaps after he laid them down one after the other.

This one would be different however, his drinking and fucking had ignited a fire in him, and he would not just knock down his opponents. This had to be the largest tournament he had ever participated in, so he would draw blood, lots of it...and give the audience a show they would not soon forget.....