Highgarden(with
@kingkonrad@MrDidact)
The night had come and the men that the Inquisitor had been housed after dinner, with Merlin being able to delegate that task out to the senchals of Highgarden, and the marble and whitestone rooms were at least something cosier than most other quarters would be on other keeps, perhaps compared to the North, a little less covered in furs and more suitable to the warmth of the Reach.
And the morning had come, the time for the plan to be implemented. Merlin knew this had to be done correctly. He was no Master of Whispers, but he knew that part of the plan involved no knowledge beyond himself, the Knight Inquistor and Alester being aware that this was a trap. The men would be good, but they wouldn't understand the finer target, just that there was likely to be an attack, a near certainty with the cargo. And to that avail, Merlin had left Eve to look after Merion and Margaery, knowing he had to and meet Arthur and Alester, who would be gearing up and preparing to leave in the early morning. The grain was set to leave, sacks and sacks of it, alongside other cargos was being carried in horse-drawn carts rather than up the Mander on a boat to Bitterbridge, and then taken from there. It was not the usual way of doing things, but given the number of horses that had to be sent anyway, it made sense for this convoy.
Alester could only sleep scarcely. But that was something normal for the young lord. He kept spinning and spinning, overthinking on his mind. When the dawn had come, he had already checked the sharpness of his sword, and wrote his thoughts in a diary. He dressed sensibly and ate frugally, his body in alert already, as he gave the servants piercing gazes as he went around through the keep, fully geared up. He only stopped for a brief moment, his tense factions making a little smile.
Irise was there, playing with the Tyrell offspring. He envied her. Children had every reason to be carefree, and seldom they found lasting enemies and grudges in their equals. They rarely paid attention to stances, and were quick to befriend. He just stood there, waiting for the girl to notice him. She did, early enough, beaming him a cute smile emphasizing her birthmark under her right eye, her pale blue orbs staring into his as a long cascading hair waved as she moved towards Alester, arms spread to receive a hug.
Alester didn't even doubt. He casted aside his noble stance, and knelt one leg to the ground, firmly tugging his younger sibling in his arms and hoisting her up. "Irise, I'm sorry. I've got to do lord stuff with the father of these two. Can you be a good girl and bear with it a while?"
Merion and Margaery were young, Merion being a long-haired lad already, a little like his father but with a prettier face and an interest already in flowers, falconry and play. He was a little rascal, while Margaery, like her namesake great-auntie was a lovely little girl, with brown locks and seemed to play a little with Merion. They were young children, but yet even so, were already under tuition, as Evelyn looked on at them both, then over at Alester and Irise.
"They're so lovely, aren't they." Eve said with a particular charm, as she stood by Alester, watching them play with a wooden horse that belonged to Merion, a toy that she remembered had been Merlin's, a plaything amongst many.
"He'll grow up one day to be Lord of the Reach. He's so charitable. Shares so nicely with his sister. But brave too. It makes me think there are so many horrors in the world, yet my two are wonderful. I imagine you will find out someday too, Alester, when you get married and settle into this." Eve said, not masking her knowledge, a little motherly as she spoke from a certain knowledge, as she grinned at Irise.
"And you're a lovely little girl too, aren't you as well?" Eve's cheeks were rose red, smiling at Irise as she giggled at her.
Alester noticed his sister was sulking, as she dug her face into his shoulders. "You never play with me anymore." Her voice said, as she eyed the other kids. "Can't we all just play a bit, please?" She said in her most heartfelt voice. Alester smirked. Damn, she really could pull his strings sometimes. Alester looked at Eve, and her tirade. "Kits on my own? Well, surely you've teamed up with this little lady who wants to be an aunt at age 10." Alester replied, eyeing Irise and tickling her under the elbow, which prompted a rebuke from the child.
"But it's true, bro! You're always saying no to the ladies and family and stuff!" She said, winking very obviously at Eve.
Eve chuckled, giggling at Irise's little comment, already reading she was a rascal of a Reachwoman already.
"Well, I imagine your brother is very busy. Alester, you can leave Irise with my two while you're away, if you like. She can come to Margaery's lessons too, if she likes. She seems to enjoy the company." Eve said, brushing the hair from her side, looking over at Merion and Margaery, before back at Alester.
"I bet you want to see the rest of the castle, don't you?" Eve asked Irise, her charm and voice like butter, it was so soft.
"I don't really want to impose myself. But that would be appreciated." Alester bowed so slightly, before letting go of his sister that would rejoin the kids in their play. "Alright. One quick trick, before I depart." Alester said to Irise that was giddy. "Give me some space, this is going to need a bit of it." He said, grabbing an apple with one hand, and gripping the sword pommel with the other. He smirked, throwing the fruit into the air, and in two deft cuts midair, he cut the fruit in quarters, who then blossomed as they fell into his hand.
"There you go." Alester said, quickly sheathing, and letting Irise have the apple.
Merion watched on gleefully and cheered, amazed at the sight of it, looking up to Alester.
"That was really cool!" He simply said, as Eve chuckled, looking to Alester.
"You'll be a good father someday, I think. There is a lot more to it than just sword tricks...take my word for it." Eve added, as she knelt down, to look at Merion and Margaery.
"I think the tutor will come later on. Will you two behave yourselves?" They both nodded, as Eve stood up, turning back to Alester.
"You're probably needed soon I imagine. Thank you for doing this. Merlin appreciates it a lot. It's a lot of work for him running a Kingdom."
"It's not only for his sake. It's my own sake aswell." Alester said curtly, as he excused himself out of the children's sight, and reunited himself with the other components of the host. He noticed one of his men whistling, as he handed himself a crossbow and a bundle of bolts.
"Les, here you go. Just as you asked. Just don't shoot anyone of ours with that." He said, as he grabbed the crossbow alongside his weapons. He eyed his companions. "Foxglove bolts. We've got to have a backup in case the sword fails." He curtly added.
"Seven Hells, Alester." Merlin added, as he walked over, noting the crossbow, and the tipped bolts.
"You're not messing about with that stuff." Merlin added, as he looked on at the rest of the carts, and the rest of the men around.
"So, ready to go?" Merlin asked, as he knew Alester was going to be leaving soon, almost as fast as he came in.
Arthur appeared, mounted and armored, and nodded to both men, "My lords, my men are all saddled and ready. Some of them will be disguised as Tyrell men and will ride with you. Some will shadow the caravan. Do you wish for me to accompany you my lord? Or would you prefer I follow unseen?"
"Have you been travelling incognito until now, Arthur? Or have you made little effort to conceal your presence?" Alester pondered, his gauntleted hand up his chin.
"We've been flying the King's Banners, Lady Lannister's banners, the Inquisitor colors. But no man should be able to recognize me without colors flying and without my emblazoned armor."
"Hmm. While it is true that it could enable you to accompany me for peace of mind, I would rather try to maximize their chance of a bold attempt to bit into our bait, so if you do not mind, follow us unseen." Alester added, gripping the pommel of his sword. "But spare a couple of sharpshooters with me. We might need to use my...special bolts regardless." He said back. His face turned to Merlin one last time.
"Yes, my Liege. But for a lord being bait, any precaution is necessary." He added.
Arthur nodded, "Very well, I'll slip out a postern gate after you leave. You won't see me but I will be there. And some of my archers will be there with you don't worry. Something may not even happen, but we will be prepared."
Merlin nodded, looking out at the banners.
"Understood. Be careful. Those banners need to fly when you leave, and most of your men won't be able to follow you, Arthur. So take a low profile and get out. I can send a few convoys other ways, and you can lose any leads in the fields, quickly. I can't tell you every path but it's simple enough to cut through to get to a road." The Steward added, nodding, as he knew this plan would be in action.
"Well then. We shall see what we get from this." Merlin simply noted, as he watched the rest of the convoy load up.
The Inquistor saluted the lords, pressing his fist to his chest and riding off with some of his men, the rest of them loading up on wagons or their own mounts and waiting for the word to start moving.
Alester did the same, reaching for his horse and eyeing his comrades. Among the people of the convoy, three old women looked back at him and nodded. The former spearwives from the Wall Alekyne had once sheltered, now dressed as part of the helpers of the caravans. Age had may have spoiled their features, that were once exotic to reachmen, but he knew by their stances that the fire of the Free Folk was still within them. He sighed inwardly. Get in the field. Lure the Gardeners. Find out the rebel heads. Make it safe home. The last part was important. Irise still needed him to return, after all.
He gave the instructions of being ready, and let the convoy take him through the desired route.
Merlin watched it as it moved out and left, returning back to the Keep and to his administrative duties. Soon enough, the others would leave, and he would find out by raven if the dividend would pay off.
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