Gold and Steel Session 10

#GoldSteel
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	antoine	Heart's Home goes to a restless sleep, the army camping half in the courtyard and half outside. You arise in the late morning, getting a good nights sleep. The slaughter of pigs and cows can be heard as your breakfast is prepared from the adopted rooms you have taken.
	antoine	The air is warm and a little dusty as the servants try to clean up
	Mercer	rises, and breaks his fast on fresh bacon and ale.
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	Ryker	rises after passing out in the courtroom. He pisses last night's ale out of a small window then quickly puts on some of the lighter pieces of his armour in an attempt to look more regal.
	Ralond	wakes from his drunken stupor, outside and covered in mud, and looks around for some food.... and more ale
	antoine	Outside the sounds of early work calls and children's laughing are overridden, "Rider for Lord Mercer, make way!" The pound of hooves are heard in the courtyard.
	Mercer	groggily makes his way for the main hall with the company of two of his Talons. "Someone see to a bottle of that Arbor gold Goodman Jaros bought for me. I may wish to try it out this morning."
	Jaros	enters the hall, fitly dressed, and joins the breaking of fasts
	Aerwyn	dismounts and signals his escorting riders to show him the way to Lord Mercer.
	Ralond	stumbles into the hall, with argos at his side, and starts jogging towards the food
	antoine	The 20 bottles arrived in the night, the greedy merchant eager to sell his wares. A bottle of Arbor Gold and Hippocras among Dornish reds with some more local vintages sit on the lord's table, guarded closely.
	Mercer	nods approvingly to the drinks. "With all that's happened recently, I may-well have need of a tester. We'll see to that, though."
	antoine	Far better than the swill Lord Corbray had sitting in his cellar. As you inspect the bottles three men enter the hall in at a brisk pace
	Mercer	glances up to the newcomers as he steps towards his throne. "Is something the matter, goodmen?"
	antoine	Two of them are members of your Garrison but they are led by an unknown man in mail.
	Mercer	narrows his eyes at the man...
	Aerwyn	"Lord Mercer?" asks Aerwyn, facing the [frankly overdressed] man.
	Ralond	takes a swig of ale and watches the newcomers closely
	Mercer	"Silver hair. Purple eyes. Like Rhaegar himself come anew, it seems." Lord Kestra sits back in the high chair that was formerly Lyonel Corbray's, sighing contently. "I am Lord Mercer of Whitemane, and now also Heart's Home. And your face is not known to me, friend. Who might you be?"
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	Aerwyn	"I am Ser Aerwyn Ridhert, M'Lord," his head lowered in respects for the departed "formerly under the service of Lord Arryn. I'm afraid all that matters little now. I come with news from Whitemane, where I first tried to seek an audience with your Lordship."
	Ryker	enters the hall clad in his finely enameled breastplate ontop of a higher quality travel's garb with "Talon's Grasp" (the sword formerly known as Lady Forlorn) at his side. He immediately takes notice of the armoured man and sizes him up for combat ability before even considering his name.
	Ryker	moves to take a seat at Lord Mercer's table.
	Mercer	shifts in his seat. "Yes, the lord of the Vale is departed, Seven bless him. I would hear this news. How fares my daughter?"
	Aerwyn	makes eye-contact to give assurance to the Lord, "The young Lady is safe and sound, however I'm afraid cannot be said about your people."
	Aerwyn	*the same cannot be said
	Mercer	frowns. "What?"
	Aerwyn	"As I mentioned, I arrived at Whitemane seeking an audience with you, M'Lord. I was conversing with the good Captain Falk one night, when raiders attacked the townsfolk. In order to keep the young Lady safe, the Captain held his men in the castle and the people were left to fend for themselves." Aerwyn shifts his eyes, staring into nothing, recalling the appalling state of security in...
	Aerwyn	...Whitemane. "The raiders took mostly food and provisions from the townsfolk, it seems."
	Mercer	clenches his fists against the armrests of his chair.
	Mercer	"This does not sound like the work of another house," Mercer grumbles to himself. "Perhaps scraps from Corbray's broken men..."
	Mercer	looks up to the knight. "Well then, naught we can do at this moment about that. What have you sought me for, Ser Aerwyn?"
	Aerwyn	"I should mention that I did speak with the townsfolk briefly, before riding to you here. By what they said, it seems they were Corbray's men."
	Aerwyn	"The Maester of the House suggested the leader of this group of rabble was a member of Red Fort, given the description of his shield given by the townsfolk."
	Mercer	scowls, lowering his stare. "Redfort... how intriguing. We will have to do something about this, then."
	Ralond	,burps, "We can hunt them"
	Ralond	"more ears...."
	Aerwyn	's body language shifts to a more humble posture. "If your Lordship will have me, I would like to render to you my services. If my observations tell me anything at all, it is that your noble House is deserving of much more martial organization. You see, M'Lord, such was the nature of service I rendered Lord Arryn before..."
	Ryker	"...more of the Corbrary afterbirth...have we not killed enough of them?"
	Mercer	leans on one elbow, and strokes at his chin, remembering he needs to shave. "Commanders are what I need, especially after this influx of soldiers."
	Mercer	stands. "Someone bring me my longsword."
	Aerwyn	takes a knee
	antoine	A nearby Talon comes forth with a longsword
	Ralond	"doesn't look like much of a commander..."
	Ralond	takes another swig of ale
	Mercer	accepts the blade. "Ser Aerwyn Ridhert, do you pledge your service to House Kestra, to mine and my line, for so long as you draw breath?"
	Aerwyn	"Till my last breath, Lord, I swear it."
	Mercer	taps the knight on both shoulders. "Then rise, Ser Aerwyn. I accept you into my service."
	Aerwyn	stands "You do me much honor, Lord Mercer."
	Ryker	lightly says to Jaros though knowing he doesn't care much for his boasts. "Ahh, another tourny knight, I wonder if he'll live longer than the Corbray knights"
	Ralond	laughs at rykers jest
	Jaros	stares at the lot with a tired expression.
	Mercer	looks back over his shoulder.
	Ralond	says to Ryker "Argos could best him"
	Ralond	pats Argos on the head
	Jaros	"Knights are often overexcited with their own colors, like many of my countrymen. Just they show it in their arrogance rather than their clothes..."
	Mercer	turns away, billowing out his cape as he steps back. "We must plan, now! There are things to be done, and it seems more war to be waged!"
	Mercer	looks over the room. "Lord Redfort seems intent on doing me harm. But we shall harm him."
	Aerwyn	"What will you ask of me, m'Lord?"
	Mercer	looks to the Knight. "I would have you sit in war council with me. We must decide how to divide our forces for contending with the Redfort."
	Aerwyn	nods in acknowledgment
	Ryker	"Say where and how many to kill, my lord, this sword is yours to command" "I do hope they stand better than the Corbrays though...the mountain clans put up more of a fight"
	Ralond	"war council is pointless. We should go now, hunt."
	Mercer	"Silence," Lord Mercer calls, motioning for the men to follow him away.
	antoine	Markas appears with a strip of bacon burnt black in one hand, "A war council? Does a Corbray yet live?"
	Mercer	looks to his son as he passes. "Nay, but Whitemane is being harrassed by his leftovers, and it seems the Redfort is also at work here."
	Mercer	stops before the boy. "Son, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Ser Aerwyn. He has come to me with the interest of serving our household. Ser Aerwyn," he looks to the Valyrian-blooded knight, "this is my son, Markas."
	antoine	Markas' eyes visibly light up at the mention of the knight, "A pleasure to meet you Ser! Have you competed in many tournaments?"
	Aerwyn	"The honor is all mine, young Lord. I have left those days behind in favor of study of the art of War. But I would be more than happy to share stories of the tournaments with you some time."
	antoine	Markas smiles widely as he chomps down on the bacon.
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	antoine	The Lord and his War Council decide to leave the John Arryn's elite men with the Corbray archers and garrison to hold Heart's Home while the rest packed up and spent several days marching back to Whitemane. After settling the men back at Whitemane a rider arrives bearing the splayed arrows of House Hunter.