Joakim turned to Tomas. It seems that Tomas hadn't understood that he wanted some peace and quiet, away from the feasts that he loathed. The only good feasts were the ones after a tourney. Now, it was just noblemen licking eachothers boots clean. [b]“You'll find the armory in the keep suits your needs - the blades are not exactly masterworks, but they cut like any other blade. They're free of charge, as long as you'll be around to protect the Wintershouse.”[/b] After that he continued looking into the distance, not paying Tomas much more mind. 

Then, with sudden movements, he turned to Tomas with his full body. [b]“Why abandon your home? You're a bastard, so I guess you don't like your home as much. But even a bastard must have some feelings of homeliness. You should've stayed to defend it.”[/b] His words were fast and were intended to cut like a blade, testing what Tomas was made of, and to reflect how Joakim felt about it. It was clear he thought lowly of the 'betrayal'. [b]“Amber shouldn't of fled either. It was her throne, lost now. There must've been Forkish men and women willing to fight for her. Any respect they had for her, it must be gone now.”[/b] He looked Tomas straight in the eyes, ensuring every word he spoke was heard by him. He spat on the ground and made way for the stairs again, stopping briefly to say something else. [b]“I know I wouldn't fight for her if she fled the Wintershouse when we needed her.”[/b] And with those words spoken he headed down the snow white stairs to fulfil some duties as the marshal of the Wintershouse. 

Tough, heavy steps approached the armory, where a quartermaster was at work along with several servants, organizing weaponry and armor. Joakim entered through the doorway, which was made of thick dark wood, and nodded at the quartermaster. [b]“Morning. I need an account of the weapons we have available for our own troops, though I assume we have plenty. You know how it works, if you think we need more of anything, let the smith make it. I'm sure he doesn't mind the extra work.”[/b] He picked up a blade and balanced it in his hands, testing how it felt. After that he laid it down again and smiled at the quartermaster. [b]“Or the extra pay. Good day.”[/b] He turned around and headed back for the great hall, in an attempt to find Gavin. The man was never there when Joakim needed him. 

Entering the hall once again, he quickly found Gavin and struck up a conversation with him. [b]“Gavin, please follow me to my quarters. I need to attend to some bussiness while my brother,”[/b] he said while looking at Gregar, who was entertaining the black knight still. [b]“.. is busy doing lordly stuff.”[/b] He gave Gavin a short trademark nod, with a dedicated look in his eyes. If Gregar wouldn't attend to the matters that needed attention the most right now, Joakim would. He headed back to his quarters once more, no doubt with Gavin on his tail as the man was his servant after all. Well, he was more than a servant, but not many people knew of that. As they arrived at Joakims room, he unlocked the door and headed inside. He took up a seat in a chair and offered Gavin a chair as well, though he knew that Gavin wouldn't stay for long. He wasn't here to talk about Gavins' life, and even if he wanted to, Gavin didn't seem to appreciate those talks that much. A secretive fellow, him. 

[b]“Gavin, I need a count of heads. I need to know how many men we have ready after the war. Surely we lost many, too many. I also want to know how many troops the lords can supply, and how many are already here.”[/b] It was clear Joakim was doing calculations for the battles to come, and for supplies to be arranged in time to defend against possible sieges, although Joakim would prefer to meet the enemy on the fields. [b]“Also, I know that you have contacts in Harrighfields demesne. See to it that you get your hands on information detailing their troop numbers. I know that they'll be inaccurate, but it's better than nothing.. have you learnt anything of the foreigners?”[/b] It was clear that after the orders and the information of the foreigners, Gavin could go. 

[hr]

Gregar paid close attention to the foreign warlord. The man was armed to the teeth, even during a feast. As bad a sign as any. The man drew attention away from the black knight, as was to be expected. The black knights' answer would have to wait in favor of this foreigner. Gregar looked at him with skepticism, holding his cup of wine and toiling it around. As the man made his gesture of.. whatever it was that he did, Gregar noticed a smile on the mans face. It wasn't the smile of an amused person. Gregar returned the favor with a smile that said 'good show.' Gregar feared little, not even this man with his imposing posture and many weapons. For every blade the man had, Gregar had four men in the room willing to draw blades, and if need be, blood, to protect the lord. That was a positive thing about being regarded a good, honorable lord. Many men were willing to die for you, simply because you were nice to them. That, and Gregars fame in the world, drew many men to him. Men that didn't seek coin but honorable servitude.

[b]“Rosemary- please seat the man next to lord Berengar,”[/b] he said to Rosemary, whom he had noticed coming in with Arryn and sitting down with the duchess. Lord Berengar was a young lord, ugly too, who had no skills with a blade, with coin, or with his tongue. The man was dimwitted and incapable of ruling. If it weren't for the influence his father had had, the boy would've been lynched by his own people. Most of all, he enjoyed drinking. That's why the lord was already drunk off his face early in the morning. Sitting next to him wouldn't be pleasureable for the warlord, but then again, the warlord held no real title in Borhilon, and as such had no entitlement to any seating at all. He should hold himself lucky that he was even offered entrance to the castle, being a foreigner. Gregar looked back at the man, smiling more sincerely now. [b]“.. unless you had wished to sit elsewhere?”[/b] Truth be told, the man would be a valuable ally, but it seemed the man wasn't here for anything of the sorts - he was here for a show of power without even telling his name. He was still largely unknown to Gregar, so putting on a show like that for him was only terribly arrogant of him. 

[hr] 

Arryn smiled at lady Amber, who told her name and rank. She had no idea, but was glad she got invited to take a seat next to her. She could atleast see the party with better vision than before from that seat. [b]“Yes, lady duchess. It would be my pleasure.”[/b] she said, softly as always. She got up and walked around the table, taking the free seat next to lady Amber, keeping her eyes on the men in front of her. There were some men standing, talking with eachother. They were of different levels and ranks. Some were knights, others were sons of noblemen. These groups shared a similar standing. Some of the peasants were standing at the back of the hall, conversing as well, but mostly drinking and enjoying the food that they rarely saw. And then, in the center, there were a black knight and a man in strange armor, though beautifully made. Rosemary got told to seat the man next to lord Berengar, a terrible young boy, who was barely two years older than Arryn. He was already drunk, and was attempting to coerce a young peasant lady into his bedchamber. To anyone versed in the political nature of feasts, it was quite an insult to be seated next to someone so unimportant and, even more so, someone so rude and annoying. 

Then Arryn looked at Amber, a lovely lady, although not very feminine. She had a certain charm about her, something that said [i]'it doesn't matter that I'm not feminine, I'm still attractive.'[/i] Though Arryn wouldn't say that. [b]“I am a handmaiden to lady Catryn, as I said. I mostly take care of her, now that her husband is dead. Such a pity, lord Rikard was truly one of a kind. May God and his children rest his soul.”[/b] She would smile at Amber, waiting for a counter remark before continueing. [b]“It's very friendly of you to let me sit here. Other duchesses would've sent me away. And I'd hate to sit next to someone like lord Berengar.”[/b]