Ashford, the town of the Tyrell tournaments

[Lord Dread]

House Tyrell

Lord of Ashford

Household of Ashford

• [LORD VICTARION TYRELL, "The Thorn" - 51], Twin brother of Victor, Lord of Ashford and was once known as one of the best jousters of the realm. He still loves horseflesh, and his stables in Highgarden are known to hold some of the best of the entire realm. Died during a riding accident in 151 AL.
  
  
  • Lady Falyse of House Tarly - 46
    
    • Loenna Tyrell (27)
    • Lord Lyonel Tyrell (24), The new Lord of Ashford, following into his father's footsteps.
    
    
  • Trianna of Asshai (23), the red priestress, who entered Ashford after the red comet
    
  
  

Castles and armies of the Tyrells

Ashford:
Castle +3

Towers upgrade: +1 seige defense, 30,000 Dragons
Market Place upgrade: +5% income, 40,000 Dragons

Dock upgrade: +5% income, 50,000 Dragons
Market Place upgrade 2: +1 trade route, 60,000 Dragons
Security- -1 on assassination attempts in Region 60,000
Blacksmith: -10% on cost of Weapons and Armor, 60,000 Dragons

[M. Laveur]

A caravan of at least half a hundred men with mules, wagons and horses approached the proud castle of Ashford, home to the famed jousting grounds that had hosted dozens of tourneys since the days before the war of Conquest.

Led by 20 knights and standard bearers, the column could be seen from miles away, and the sigils they bore were easily distingished as white towers on a dark grey background. The scout of the envoy, a large, balding knight, was the first to arrive to the town and announce that the Lady of the Port was on her way, and shortly after, he did the same at the very gates of the castle.

As the rest of the party approached, he asked for preparations to be made to host lady Lysa Hightower in Lord Lyonel's castle.

[Lord Dread]

"Ah, welcome at Ashford, Lady Hightower", Lord Lyonel greeted Lysa with kissing her hand galantly, after he heard of the message of her arrival, "You're still looking very beautiful, mylady, and beautiful guests are always allowed to stay at the noble and old castle of Ashford, especially when the host's name is Tyrell. How does it come that you visited this beautiful town?"

[M. Laveur]

"You're too kind," said Lady Lysa, and gave a small polite smile to the Lord, as he kissed her hand and then helped her off her horse, a slim, silver mare.

"I have travelled here to speak with you, of course. To ask your advice, actually. May we go inside? This trip has left me most thisty," she said, as she inspected the Lord from head to tail.

[Lord Dread]

"Sure", he answered in a good mood and lead her into the keep.
After a short time they arrived at the dinning room of Ashford Keep. A servant entered the room, while Lyonel offered Lysa one of the chairs.
"If you have any wishes, feel free to tell me", he said with a generous smile, "I'm sure I can make them true."

[M. Laveur]

"So eager to help a lady! You are as gallant as your reputation says, my Lord," she said as she took a seat, crossing her legs.

"Taking after Lord Victarion, I guess. The most handsome and courteous man of the Reach, my mother used to say," she smiled, as she took a goblet from a servant.

"I was deeply distressed when I heard of his demise. So tragic... it must have been such a shock for you, and after so many losses. Lord Victarion, Lady Layla... Loren."

[Lord Dread]

If he was angry about the mentioning of Loren Tyrell, Lyonel didn't show any emotion about it, he only nodded.
"Indeed, my father's death was definitly a tragedy", he replied honest, "My sister was crying many tears after hearing about his death at her return from Winterfell. Really sad thing..."
He made a short pause before continiueing.
"However, I never met Lady Baratheon, the wife of my cousin Ser Mace Tyrell, and neither did my uncle Loren. We only heard about his death in Ashford because he was my father's brother."

[M. Laveur]

"I imagine that's a relief. I take Lord Victarion did mourn his brother? Even after all those years of conflict between the Tyrell brothers... the Crone's pass always seems to reunite friends and families, or resolve old feuds," she continued, taking a sip, and thinking that perhaps she wasn't being too discrete about her questions.

[Lord Dread]

"Yes... I do think so...", he answered after a short time after some thinking.
"Looking at feuds and claims", Lyonel then continiued, "As you may know the relationship of Ashford Tyrells and Highgarden Tyrells during the last four years wasn't very heartily, Mylady. Father always cared for the family, fought the important battles during the last time and was always the hero of the tourney grounds during the decades. Lord Victor, my uncle, on the other hand, however, never granted him the honor of becoming the Lord Paramount of the Reach and Lord of Highgarden. As far as I know my father even had the higher claim, rather than my uncle."
He looked in interest at her.
"I hope I don't annoy you with these old family tales", he added cautious, "do I?"

[M. Laveur]

"Oh, not at all," she said politely. "The Redwynes - and Hightowers - aren't free of such conflicts," she replied, leaning forward, to show her interest in the conversation.

"There are those in the Arbor that claim my uncle Ser Loras should be Lord instead of my brother Durran. I can't say that the thought never crossed my mind; Durran still believes himself a boy of 16...vain, handsome and mostly careless," she elaborated. "Lord Victarion was definitely the most liked by the small folk, good at tourneys and in battle. Yet our laws always favor the right of birth, and Lord Victor was born first... wasn't he?" she said, intrigued by his last sentence.

[Lord Dread]

"Oh, not at all," she said politely. "The Redwynes - and Hightowers - aren't free of such conflicts," she replied, leaning forward, to show her interest in the conversation.

"There are those in the Arbor that claim my uncle Ser Loras should be Lord instead of my brother Durran. I can't say that the thought never crossed my mind; Durran still believes himself a boy of 16...vain, handsome and mostly careless," she elaborated. "Lord Victarion was definitely the most liked by the small folk, good at tourneys and in battle. Yet our laws always favor the right of birth, and Lord Victor was born first... wasn't he?" she said, intrigued by his last sentence.

"Unfortunately my father was the first twin", he said in a sad mood, "but somehow my uncle was able to convince my father to grand him the Lord Paramount title and the lordship of Highgarden. A lordship I will inherit with Lord Victor's death."
His face turned into a self-satisfied smile.
"May I tell you an nearly unknown secret about this contract, father closed with Lord Victor", the Lord of Ashford asked curious, "It may not be good if anyone knows about it."

[M. Laveur]

Lady Lysa was playing with her goblet, rotating it between her fingers, as she always did when she was excited. When he said the word secret, her movement stopped, and she fixed her eyes on Lyonel's, looking surprised.

She did not blink or speak, only nodded twice with approval, a barely noticeable smirk drawn on her face, like a young girl hearing a friend gossiping about her love interest. She leant even closer to have him whisper at her ear, if necessary, and waited for him to speak.

[Lord Dread]

"After Lord Victor's death my father would have inherited the lordship of Highgarden and all it's titles", he said while showing her a contract, suscribed by both Tyrell twins with a sigil, "Though I quite doubt my Lord Paramount uncle remembers, my father also added that his descendants will also inherit the lordship, even if he would die before my uncle as it is the case now. My father left me this paper with the intention to give me a claim on my uncle's throne for this case and I'll follow his wish. My cousin Mace won't be the lawfully heir of Highgarden at all.
I will need this knowledge as a surprise when my uncle dies - and looking at his poor constitution I wouldn't doubt that he won't live longer than five or ten years. In any case I'll survive him."
He looked in interest at her.
"You surely will support my claim after this knowledge, when the right time has come, won't you?", he asked her curious, "In a case of a rebellion by my cousin I will need any support I can get from other lords of the Reach. The alliance between Baratheon and my cousin is growing stronger and it would definitly a risk to confront him with this contract without any forces in my back."

[M. Laveur]

Lysa looked perplexed at the papers.

I came here looking for clues about a murder, now I am stuck between their own rivalries,she tought, suddenly not so curious about the issue.

Unless... what if Loren knew about this? she thought to herself, imagining all the scenarios, all the reasons why Victor, Victarion, Mace or Lyonel would want to silence him.

Yet... if this is true, I am sitting before the true heir of Highgarden.

She read the document he presented, word by word, several times. The seals were real, the letters did not seem altered or changed. For all she knew, it was authentic. Mayhaps Maester Moryn could help her understand.

"I..." she stuttered, looking up again at the eyes that waited for an answer. "I believe that showing this now would be a better strategy. Present it to the King, the Small Council and all other Lords. Whatever deal they made will be null if Mace is declared Lord of Highgarden..."

"If I may ask... why would Lord Victor and Victarion keep this so... secretive? It serves no use if they were trying to avoid a conflict within the whole Reach."

[Lord Dread]

Lyonel shrugged.
"I don't know their reasons, but I will definitely show the document to the king if the right time would come", he replied, "Showing it now could persuade Lord Victor to nullify the document, because I believe that he has the possibility to do so. There is no other explanation why my father kept it secret.
And furthermore, I need an heir to secure the lordship of my branch. I distrust my uncle and my cousin and if I die under unexplainable circumstances, my sister loses the claim on Highgarden, because only the male heirs are able to inherit the lordship."
He doesn't looked very self-confident about the last point mentioned.

[M. Laveur]

She touched his hand, conforting.

"Fear not, my Lord. If this document is true, and if the Lords came to this agreement, then Hightower shall do what honor demands, and support your claim," she touched his hand, softly, trying to confort him, believing what he said.

If this is true, and Alester knew, then either Lord Victor or Mace may be behind this, perhaps even Lord Victarion's accident, she thought.

"Do you think Lord Victor believes this document to have been destroyed, or lost? Could he be looking for it?"

[Lord Dread]

She touched his hand, conforting.

"Fear not, my Lord. If this document is true, and if the Lords came to this agreement, then Hightower shall do what honor demands, and support your claim," she touched his hand, softly, trying to confort him, believing what he said.

If this is true, and Alester knew, then either Lord Victor or Mace may be behind this, perhaps even Lord Victarion's accident, she thought.

"Do you think Lord Victor believes this document to have been destroyed, or lost? Could he be looking for it?"

He smiled at her, holding her hand.
"I quite doubt that", he answered honest, "Luckily, whores are the only thing my uncle cares about. I sometimes believe Father and my uncle must have drunken after doing this contact. If he knows about it, he would have reacted, Father once said to me when talking about it."

[Lord Dread]

"... and the dragons burnt down the Reach's army and King Loren Lannister's soldiers, do you remember?", Lyonel whispered into his sisters ears while they were both standing alone at the highest tower of Ashford keep, watching the red comet on midnight, "Father told us about the fall of King Mern the last Gardener and how Harlen Tyrell became the Lord Paramount of the Targaryens."
She nodded excited and happy.
"Yes, I remember it!", Loenna answered in a clear voice without any stuttering, standing next to her brother and holding his hand, "They burnt them to ashes and granted us Highgarden! Us, the descendants of the last kings. The Targaryen united the realm and ruled over it, brother and sisters."
"Indeed", the young Lord agreed with her smiling, "this comet shall remind us what happened to the last Greenhand and how the dragon fire devoured him and a big part of the Reach's forces."
"But the dragons are dead now",, she purred and hugged him with loving eyes, "and they lost their old strength."
"But never forget about the strength of the pure blood lines", he replied serious fondleing her cheek, "Don't worry, sweet sister. We will get back what our fat uncle has stolen us and rule over the Reach with the strong hand of the rose - as brother and sister, united in all aspects of life. The fortune is with us",
he carressed her beautiful brown hair,
"and our enemies shall fear us.
Red is our god, giving us the hope and light in our fight against the darkness",
Loenna closed her eyes in a blissful chill,
"red are the flames of our vegeance, burning the parasites of the Tyrell tree",
he heard her excited, demanding breath near his own face,
"and red is our love!"
Covered by the cloak of night they kissed eachother, the comet still glowing in the background like a menancing torch over the whole Reach.

[M. Laveur]

OOC: oh my!

He smiled at her, holding her hand.
"I quite doubt that", he answered honest, "Luckily, whores are the only thing my uncle cares about. I sometimes believe Father and my uncle must have drunken after doing this contact. If he knows about it, he would have reacted, Father once said to me when talking about it."

Perhaps he has, she thought.

"Then mayhaps you were right about hiding its identity. We must remain in contact, my Lord. If you know any more details, please count on me as a friend," she looked at his eyes.

"As for the reasons of my visit... it would look odd if I left without anything. Therefore I actually planned to ask of something from you. Lord Victarion's stallions are well known around the realm, and Lord Durran's 30th name day is coming this year, and with the tourney that shall come soon, I'm sure he would love nothing more than a strong new beast to carry him in the jousts."

[Lord Dread]

"I'm glad to hear about this", Lyonel answered polite, "and don't worry about the horses, in exchange for Lord Redwyne's goods we can surely offer him our best steeds and stallions for whatever reasons. I even wouldn't mind if he would slaughter them after the tourney as long as it serves him loyal!"
He laughed about his joke.