[voice/video] I put my trust in you, a stranger (un: whitewolf)

[northerndragon]

1. Voice

[A man's deep voice, colored with some urgency.]

My name is Jon Snow. I need the aid of two or three strong fighters, outside the city -- now. One of the Beastmaster's creatures is on me. He isn't alone.

2. Video

[Later, it's a young man, looking hesitant and unsure of where to begin. A curl of his dark hair is falling into his bearded face, and there are fine vertical scars above and below his eyes, as if someone once tried to claw them out. He has just been shown to his rooms after a long, hard journey, and he looks like it.

When he speaks, it's with the same deep voice from earlier in the day, now earnest and weary. The more he speaks, the more sure of himself he sounds, until in the end, it may become clear that he's used to addressing groups of people.]

I am sorry for my hasty messages earlier. The creatures are dead -- they won't trouble you or any of the people of this city.

I'm Jon Snow. I come from the Merchant -- I've been riding in and out of these canyons for most of a fortnight. Never seen anything like Taravast, but it is good to be in numbers again.

I don't expect that it will mean anything to any of you, but I am from the North. One of the Seven Kingdoms, it was.

I need to meet with Wrath and Wen Qing, as soon as either of you can. I am in the Palace of the Doxe.

For the rest -- tell me what I can do here in the city. Tell me what I can do to help our cause.

Comments

[northerndragon]

[It sounds like a great disaster in the making. The North has its own difficulties, but it’s nothing like this. She has neither loyalty from the inside nor, from how it sounds…]

No allies of your own?

Why did you take the city?

[It’s a curious question, not an accusatory one.]

[OOC — also I am sorry to anyone following this thread if I’m repeating myself and some of this stuff was established early on.]

tw: child death

[song_of_fire]

Because no one should be forced to endure the brutality and degradation a slave must endure. These are people. Men, women, children.

When I marched from Yunkaii to Meereen, the masters meant to send me a warning. 163 warnings.

Each mile, they had left a child crucified, pointing the way to the city. How could I not take the city?

[northerndragon]

[His frown deepens — disgust that anyone would do such a thing. An obvious provocation, but what do you do in the face of it? Even if you try to pass by, they mean to attack from the rear. More of a warning about the kind of people you’re dealing with instead of a warning to stay away.]

You shouldn’t expect much different in King’s Landing. She won’t crucify people, but nothing I’ve seen or heard makes me think she has much care for the smallfolk. I met her once, but she was only the king’s wife then. Gracious enough, but —

[song_of_fire]

I would hope not to see her massacring her people, but I know nothing about Cersei Lannister. [She still doubts the woman is holding the throne, as she has no claim, but she won't question Jon on it now.] I know her father was considered calculating and cruel.

How has she managed to pacify the nobles into accepting her rule?

[northerndragon]

[A shrug.]

Fear. The Lannister army is still strong, but enough of the kingdoms are in rebellion against her anyway. The North will not kneel, and we have the Vale. [And their knights, he means.] If the Lannisters lose the Riverlands, they will also join us, because Lord Tully is my sister’s uncle. I don’t see a Tully kneeling to me, though. Cersei doesn’t have the Reach and she doesn’t have Dorne or the Iron Islands. That’s the lay of things before I left Winterfell.

[Maybe he’s a fool to say all of this to someone who could turn out to be an enemy. But he doesn’t see much of calculation in her so far — more youth and curiosity, and that great resentment at injustice that he also understands. And he isn’t telling her anything that everyone in Westeros doesn’t know at the time he found himself in this strange new world. They might as well be in Asshai.]

[song_of_fire]

She has nothing then. [Unless the Faith was somehow behind her, but that seemed unlikely. None of the Seven Kingdoms at her side, that left her alone in the wilderness. It didn't matter how powerful the Lannister army was, if enough of the kingdoms rose against her, she'd be overthrown quickly.] I suppose that would explain how she ca even name herself queen.

With no support, you could name a fence post as king.

[But all of this is pointless to know. She can't act on it yet, she can't abandon the people she still has yet to protect.]

You mentioned a sister? Is she well?

[northerndragon]

[He makes a slight ambivalent gesture.]

Crueler than a fence post. My sister cautions me not to underestimate her. It doesn’t matter, though, if we’re all already dead.

But aye, my sister is well, to my knowledge. She prefers home these days. Misses our father, misses our brothers, as I do. But we are both happy to have those stones all around us, when we can.

I wonder if the two cousins here feel the same about their city.

[song_of_fire]

Your sister knew Cersei Lannister?

[She's curious about the girl, but there's a great deal about Jon Snow that's she's curious about.]

Two cousins?

[northerndragon]

My sister Sansa was taken to court when she was not yet a woman grown, as Joffrey’s betrothed. A hostage for some time after. She knew Cersei well. Knew Margaery Tyrell. All of them. They married her to Lord Tyrion, in the end, before she escaped the city.

[That’s it, in brief.]

As to the rest, the cousins, I mean the ones who might succeed don Bonaccorso.

[song_of_fire]

Ah, so Tyrion Lannister is your brother now?

[She enjoys every chance to tease this dour man.]

Ah. Them. To be honest, I don't think of them.

[northerndragon]

[He hardly knows her, and he still gives her a mildly-put upon reproachful look: very funny.]

But you’ve been here longer than I have. I only mean that it’s their home. I hope they have a care for it, and the people in it.

[song_of_fire]

[She flashes him a pleased smile. Endure it, Jon.]

I can't say I have seen them interact with the people. I only recently arrived myself and my experience was being sold into Lady Vannozza's household. It hasn't left the best impression for me.

I spend more time out in the city with the people and many of them feel forgotten and neglected. There are so many homes in need of repairs, so many shops left in disarray. It seems that the recent attack has only raised troubles that were beneath the surface.

[northerndragon]

[He lowers his voice.]

This isn’t a poor city. Any place will have people who have less than others, but the Doxe… shouldn’t he be trying to help them?

[A moot question, because even so early in this acquaintance, he thinks each knows what the other would say.]

[song_of_fire]

That would be his duty, but not all prefer that responsibility. Many with money prefer to acquire more and hoard it. People suffer in the meantime.

It might be better for you not to look to them for help. The people and the merchants are growing louder and they need attention. Kindness is always remembered.

[northerndragon]

[A stiff nod.]

I’m not speaking of what he’d prefer, I’m speaking of what he should be doing. I’ve known poor men from Flea Bottom and poor men from little farms, and poor people who have never seen a tower with a second floor. It may not be what men like him do, but it’s right to give what you can, when you can give it.

I’ve only been here a few hours. I don’t know what I can give them. Not yet.

[song_of_fire]

Your help is what they need more. Come with me tomorrow. I have been visiting the areas that were hardest hit by the attack. Homes need repairs, people need food and comfort. Everything will move much quickly with another pair of hands.

[She lifted his, seeing the familiar callouses there. The hands of a warrior. It was a bit impetuous for her to touch him this way, but she had been wondering what his hands were like. And how they felt.]

You are familiar with hard work, it seems.

[northerndragon]

[He is surprised when she touches his hands. It’s sudden, and the way she takes them, she’s like a supplicant. Not something he would have expected when he’s the one begging aid from a queen.

Her hands are small, and softer than his, for all that they are a little rough.]

I’ve just spent near on a fortnight with reins in my hands. Too hot here for my gloves.

But you’re right: I don’t shy from hard work. I’ll come with you. The only other thing there is for me to do here now is sit about this palace, and… [A pause; how to put this?] That isn’t my way.

[song_of_fire]

[She keeps hold of his hands, not quick to let him go when this felt rather natural and calming. She looks over his fingers, marking each callous with her gaze. Similar hardships that she had shared. Long hours spent in the saddle and hard work.

He might be king, but he well understood what his people endured. The proof was here on his skin.]

You will have to race me. [Gods, what she would give for her Silver.] The Dothraki admire fierce riders. I heard Northmen were skilled in such things as well. I should like to see it.

[Her face was warm when she looked up at him.]

I'm the same. It's why I spend my days rebuilding and restoring parts of the city.

[northerndragon]

[He isn’t sure now why she’s holding his hands. They’ve just met… still, it isn’t unpleasant. It is warm. There shouldn’t be comfort in it, but to some extent, there is.

So she is holding his hands and flattering him, and he looks down at her, puzzled. It has been ten long days, and countless days before that which had not been easy. It is strange for someone he has only just met to be seeming to try to comfort him.

He almost asks her why, but then she says it: I’m the same. He can’t see any guile in her just now. If it’s there, it’s well-hidden, and in truth, it might have been wiser not to take his hands and say such things to him — to keep a distance from him.

He takes one of his hands away to fold hers between his palms.]

No doubt we’ll have to leave this place soon enough. If we’re lucky, we’ll have horses to ride.

The rest — I’ll do what I can. Don’t want to sit about this place doing nothing.

[song_of_fire]

[There were many unwise decisions in her past. Men that she should not have trusted, but did. People she wanted to believe in, only to be betrayed. These things should concern her when it comes to him, but... she has no desire to push people away. Not in this place where she needs to trust others to survive.

Beyond that, he's similar to her. The dark half of a crescent moon, perhaps? Filling it and making it whole. That image seems appropriate, though she can't say why she's thinking it.

It's not unpleasant when he presses her hand between his. It makes her feel steadier, as though she found her tether.]

I won't let you do nothing. [There was the smile again. Warm, playful and fond of him already.] Be sure I'll seek you out.