The Red Keep
Alerie sat with Willas at that desk, chatting about all sorts and other. Goings on, and all that chit-chat, something to occupy Willas whilst he worked away on numbers. He was not his father, he was not an old oaf, he seemed to genuinely get on with what he did, the distant cawing of a falcon outside his windowsil. That was, until the servant came in with the letters. A few ravens, sent from Bloodstone. Nothing from Ellion, it appeared, but sometimes no news was good news. He was not much of a talker, and neither imagined that he'd be dead. But what was interesting was a letter that had come through Willas's mailbox for Alerie. And Willas had already spied a look himself, a little displeased though understanding of his daughter, in some way.
"Do you know anything in particular about this, Alerie?"
"She left the castle when we were attacked." His daughter sighed, as she replied, shaking her head.
"She did the wrong thing. Loyalty has to be shown." Alerie added, as Willas listened, taking a look at it himself.
"So too does mercy, my child. Just take some sympathy on her. She's young, like you, and prone to mistakes." Willas said, as Alerie initially nodded, but shook her head, taking it in.
"Maybe....but it wasn't right. It looks silly. Like I can't command any respect of her." Alerie replied, Willas nodding in a little discontent.
"You're my daughter, Alerie. You're a Tyrell. We aren't like the Starks or Lannisters, we don't intimidate people to do what we want, to do our will. She's a fourthborn, lowly girl, and nearly died. She doesn't need this." Willas said, optimistic and right, as Alerie gave a light chuckle, nodding.
"You're absolutely right, father. We don't intimidate people. We're friendly and we accept people make mistakes. We follow our chivalry. Amber...she did make an error. One I'll forgive her for." Alerie said, her voice completely truthful, absolutely. Yet what did her words hold? That was horseshit. Her father had a point, a very, very good one....they did not scare people into doing things. They just made them think that they would be, Alerie thought. They were better than that, they could manipulate and like the vine wrapping it's material up a stone wall, turn it to rubble with the slightest crack for when it had to. Amber was scared, and scared people were unpredictable, but like a horse that needed to be broken in, it would be something that would bend to Alerie's advantage.
The men of the Tyrell household weren't very good at understanding what the women of the house did. Alerie even knew that was true of her very own father, brothers and nephews. Amber wasn't being intimidated or backed away, forced. She was just unlucky enough to have her thoughts indirectly implanted into by Alerie, and so far, she'd proven her use. The response would come soon, Alerie did not ask an awful lot after all, but it was a tiny margin that had no risk, and the reward to come from it for the rumours she pursued. One she would tell Tom about in due course, a story and a tale that Alerie would take a gamble on if it meant that House Tyrell would retain it's influence in years to come.
"Glad to hear it. She may be a fourthborn, but we honour what we provide. She'll marry herself away in time. Some minor nobleman will take her, interested in her ginger hair, and that'll be that. A decent one. Another handmaiden will come."
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Taking some Arbor Gold, Alerie sighed as she leaned back in her seat, silent for a little while and drinking a bit.
"You know, I spoke with Tom yesterday evening. Spent some time in the gardens. He gave me a beautiful white rose." Alerie smirked, as Willas looked over, out of his books.
"You spoke to him a little longer then?"
"You could say that. I think there may be something between us. I'd be silly to not know who I'm talking about here, and I know you've met him before. And what it would mean to our family." Alerie said, knowing that whilst this wasn't needed, she almost wanted Willas to know this was her will, even if the details had been left.
"You know, he's a good lad. And you're a clever girl, Alerie. Clever enough to find who you want in the world. I would support you no matter what, because I'd know you think with your head and heart, and our interests in mind. But I would know it'd make you hpapy. I'll be meeting Tyrion soon. The Hand will no doubt be pleased, but the rest of our family will not. They won't understand why this matters, Garlan especially. What the Lannisters did to your Aunt, to your Uncles, in a fit of madness the Mad Queen did that to our family and many of us never forgave. I see it as you do, my dear. He's a courageous young man, like Ellion is right now, and a fit ruler for the Westerlands when his father passes. He will look after you well, and you will look after him. And the mistakes of one mad woman decades ago can't rule the Lannisters now. For centuries they were the richest, but never liars and thieves of the Iron Throne. So I imagine you will do the right thing." Willas replied, as he sat up, turning his attention to her, as Alerie nodded.
"Thank you. He is a dashing Lion after all, a lot of fire in his heart but I can tell he will treat me right. Someone who won't put me in Casterly Rock away for the rest of my years." Alerie said, as Willas chuckled, hearing it, knowing she was sweet as ever, but had done the right thing.
"It is fine by me, my dear. You're made for something good, to do the right thing. Now, you're a guest of Lady Julianna now, Princess I mean. She's probably wanting to see you at some point, would she not? That and the fact that I imagine while you've spent enough time with a Lion, it may be worth your while." Willas replied, Alerie acutely aware, as she finished her cup, nodding.
"Aye, I'll pop to see her. You want me out of the way, I understand..."
"No, it's nothing like that darling, it's just...there's a lot of money that the King and Queen are using to finance the mobilization. That and other letters from Merlin back at home. You're welcome to stay if you like, but I'm afraid it's terribly boring."
"That's fine by me, father." Alerie grinned at him, as she left the room, leaving Willas to it, writing away in the quarters of the Master of Coin.
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The Spine
The keep that they had taken had been nicknamed "Rose Roost", given the amount of wounded Tyrell and Reachman soldiers that were inside it, and the night had been filled with a lot of need for recovery, rearnament and resupply. Scorpions had been placed on the battlements again, loaded with oil-covered bolts, and it was still a hive, with men on the watch and guard. Garlan had known that whilst Gendry was the head of the logistical operation at head here, he had implemented a lot of his own. The men were getting fed, fucked, and supplied. Some of the worst were being carted out, and replacements coming in their place, able to take the rank. They were levies after all, but if they were hurt severely, they weren't going to help. They were extra mouths to feed, and the men that could fight or stand had to do so. They had to survive, and the night was dark and full of terrors only everyone knew too well about. The sandstone structure was damaged but repaired to a basic extent, with some of the sappers and masons being able to at least construct some defences in the place of the destroyed and burned walls, to better defend and hold.
Inside one of the tents, sat Garlan Tyrell, already bringing through a number of letters. He had quite a few to send, and knew that whilst it wouldn't make sense to any Vulture readers if they were by chance intercepted, they had to made nonetheless. Letters to home, as well. There had to be something to say to them at the least, given the situation that was raging on.
He enclosed one to Mirren Sand, to be delivered by a runner through the caverns to meet her, a congratulations and an ask to return to service. He wanted her to see him again, for something he had in mind- she had proven herself very useful indeed, with what she had done, she had been more than useful.
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